Adolescent Health

What We Do › Adolescent Health

“We established the Conflict Resolution School in September 1998 to help teens learn how to resolve difficult situations and communicate more effectively with their peers and authority figures. We also wanted to give them a healthier, more productive alternative to crime, substance abuse, and violence.”

Evgeny Alexandrov, a substance abuse specialist and social work specialist at Rebirth Center, an alcohol and drug rehabilitation facility established by AIHA partners in Dubna, Russia (Dubna/La Crosse partnership)

Ageless wisdom as tells us that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” As more and more studies indicate that most premature deaths among adults—up to 70 percent, according to WHO estimates—can be traced back to behaviors initiated before the age of 20, focusing attention on the lifestyle choices and healthcare practices of adolescents begins to take on a new urgency. While adolescence is generally viewed as a healthy period of life, WHO reports indicate that the reality is quite different. Nearly 1 million people between the ages of 10 and 19 die each year, mostly due to accidents, suicide, violence, illness, and other preventable or treatable causes.

Through its programs targeting adolescent health, AIHA is working to inform young people about the hazards of substance abuse, alcoholism, tobacco use, unsafe sex, and other poor lifestyle choices. By educating adolescents and young adults to make informed, intelligent decisions about their own health and wellbeing—as well as providing them with a comfortable, non-judgmental atmosphere in which to discuss their concerns—healthcare providers can pass along the gift of good health to future generations.

Projects

AIHA's efforts to improve adolescent health through specific programmatic activities include:

Adolescent Health Information Resources

Disseminating accurate, timely information rooted in evidence-based practices and sharing successful models and lessons learned plays an important role in AIHA's strategy for sustainable healthcare programs. For more information about adolescent health, please visit the following links:

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