Adolescence

A Review of Teenage Pregnancy in South Africa – Experiences of Schooling, and Knowledge and Access to Sexual & Reproductive Health Services

Published by: 
Other/ unknown/ unpublished

Approximately 30% of teenagers in South Africa report ‘ever having been pregnant’, the majority, unplanned. While this number has decreased over the past few decades, it is still unacceptably high. The figure is for all teenagers. (13-19 years old), but motherhood for an 18 or 19 year old has very different implications than for a young teenager, one aged 15, for example. Therefore this report tries, where possible, to be mindful of differing experiences of pregnancy and motherhood across the teen years.

Adolescent Mental Health: Mapping actions of nongovernmental organizations and other international development organizations

Published by: 
World Health Organization

Adolescents are generally perceived as a healthy age group, and yet 20% of them, in any given year, experience a mental health problem, most commonly depression or anxiety. In many settings, suicide is among the leading causes of death among young people

Mental well-being is fundamental to good quality of life. Happy and confident adolescents are most likely to grow into happy and confident adults, who in turn contribute to the health and well-being of nations (2). Emotional health and well-being among young people have implications for self-esteem, behaviour, attendance at school, educational achievement, social cohesion and future health and life chances

Adolescent sexual and reproductive care

Series Name: 
Nursing Update
Published by: 
Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa

Marion Stevens, treatment monitor with the Health Systems Trust, reflects on adolescent sexual and reproductive healthcare during Youth Month.

With June being Youth Month, it's important to consider and reflect on the area of adolescent sexual and reproductive healthcare. This is an area that is often ignored as we grapple with the reality that adolescents are choosing tobe sexually active, but cultural practices often limit open communication about sex with our cllildren. As nurses we have a responsibility to provide care of adolescents' sexual health, which also includes the results of unplanned pregnancies,abortion, spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV and maternal mortality and morbidity.

A situational Analysis: Existing Information, Education and Communication Strategies (IECS) regarding Adolescent Sexuality in the Piet Retief District, Mpumalanga

Published by: 
Health Systems Trust
The study investigated qualitatively the existing information, education and communication strategies regarding adolescent sexuality within and outside the health service to develop improved implementation of IEC-strategies and health service delivery in co-operation with the relevant stakeholders.