Living in places with low healthcare facilities will increase adolescents’ health risk by 2030: Lancet

The new Lancet study highlights the urgent need for global action to address these issues and ensure that all adolescents have access to proper healthcare.

New Delhi:

A recent study that was published in the second Lancet Commission stated that 1.1 billion teenagers worldwide are predicted to live in regions where avoidable health problems still pose a threat to their lives. This concerning figure emphasises how urgently international action is required to address these problems and guarantee that all teenagers have access to quality healthcare. An analysis of data from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease research served as the basis for the estimate.

The absence of a suitable healthcare infrastructure in a few nations is one of the main causes of these problems. Adolescents cannot receive necessary services from many healthcare facilities because they are understaffed and underequipped. Furthermore, there aren’t enough qualified medical professionals to handle the unique health requirements of this age group.

The stigma associated with some health conditions is another obstacle to adolescent healthcare in these regions. For instance, a lot of teenagers may put off getting help for mental health issues out of fear of prejudice or condemnation. Adolescents who are pregnant may also experience social stigma and obstacles to receiving quality maternal healthcare.

These avoidable health problems have disastrous results. They affect adolescents’ health and well-being directly, but they also have long-term effects on their future. For example, complications during pregnancy may result in maternal death or long-term health issues for both the mother and the unborn child. A person’s capacity to live a happy life and realise their full potential may be impacted by mental health conditions.

The groundbreaking report, which was written by adolescent health specialists, including those from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), showed how promoting the health and well-being of young people might benefit future generations’ public, social, and economic well-being.

Investments in the health and well-being of adolescents fall short of the scope of issues that young people experience, according to the 2025 Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing. The Commission, which brought together 44 Commissioners and 10 Youth Commissioners, said that although teenagers comprise 24% of the world’s population, or around two billion people, they only receive 2.4% of global financing for health and development.

More than half of teenagers will reside in nations with a disproportionately high rate of complicated disease by 2030. 

 According to a survey published in The Lancet, 70% of teenagers worldwide would reside in cities by 2050. Rapid unplanned urbanisation may have advantages, but it may also hasten poverty, loneliness, and unstable housing, the study found.

According to the analysis, there would be a significant impact on health outcomes if urban public spaces were more welcoming and geared towards youth, including safe and interesting places for them to gather.

 It also concluded that immediate action was necessary to guarantee fair access to education and reproductive rights, as well as to effectively safeguard youth from violence. Nearly 50% of teenagers have been victims of violence, which has a significant negative influence on their well-being and social and emotional growth. Even though the gender gap in high school education has mostly been addressed by international initiatives, about one-third of young women will not be enrolled in post-secondary education, employment, or training by 2030.

Disclaimer: (Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.)

ALSO READ: Experts take on CBSE’s new mandate to establish ‘sugar boards’ to monitor children’s sugar intake

_{Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.}