ADOLESCENT HEALTH CARE

Doctors can advise healthy practices that can prevent severe illnesses or other health-related problems. They can also treat these ailments, if detected, at the earliest. It’s important to avail these preventive services when you are a teenager or a young adult. Several chronic conditions that adults suffer from, usually begin developing during their teenage/adolescent years. For example, about 65% of all deaths in adults are caused by heart disease, cancer, and stroke. In many cases, these diseases are preventable. The behaviors that cause an increase in the risk of suffering from these diseases begin at a young age. For instance, teens who are tobacco-users are more likely to suffer from heart disease, cancer, or a stroke in adulthood.

The preventive services you require might be a test, a vaccine, or simply, good advice from your doctor. The services you receive may also depend on your age, medical history, and family history. For adolescents and young adults, there are several key areas that your doctor may focus on before prescribing medication. These include:

• Social and behavioral health
• Immunization (vaccines)
• Healthy habits
• Reproductive and sexual health