Alarming Incidence of Illness Among Teen-Agers

I am a physician associated with the Kaiser Permanente Medical organization for the past 33 years and I’m presently involved in full-time adolescent health care in Los Angeles (Sunset Hospital).

At a point in history in which overall mortality and morbidity rates are declining steadily for virtually all segments of the population, the incidence of death and illness among 40 million American adolescents is 11% higher than it was 10 years ago. Five important factors have been recognized as contributing to the problems of today’s teen-agers,

1--Substance abuse: Two-thirds of American youth have been known to use an illicit drug before completing high school and 20% smoke cigarettes daily. One in 16 high school seniors drink alcoholic beverages daily. Nearly half say they have consumed five or more drinks on one occasion.

2--Sexuality and pregnancy: Almost 50% of all teen-agers are sexually active. Forty-six percent of all births to unmarried women, are to teen-agers, as are one-third of all abortions. The majority of all sexually active adolescent girls do not use contraception. Maternal mortality is 2.5% higher in girls younger than age 15 than women in their 20s.

3--Victimization: 24% of all fatalities and 41% of all serious injuries in reported cases of physical abuse involve young people, aged 12 to 17. Six percent of all boys and 16% of all girls are sexually abused by age 16. Half of all rape victims are younger than 18. An estimated 600,000 teen-age girls and 300,000 teen-age boys work as prostitutes. Their average is 15.

4--Psychological disorders and suicide: Each year about 5,000 people younger than age 19 commit suicide. About 50,000 attempt it. Up to 10% of girls in their teens suffer severe eating disorders.

5--Violence and trauma: Adolescents are responsible for one-third of all violent crimes. Eighty percent of deaths in the 15-to-24 age group are secondary to accidents, suicides, and homicides.

These tragic figures cut across socioeconomic and racial lines. Casualties occur among the affluent as well as the underprivileged.

The American Medical Assn. has recently announced a new adolescent health program. Now, communities, including the media, school systems, parent teachers associations, health departments and individuals must address the problem.

Education will be the key to prevention. Community services such as Teen Clinics, are no less important than Well Baby Clinics. Professionals such as pediatricians and teachers are often negligent in ferreting out problems at an early age.

Finally, parents must recognize some of the responsibilities of parenthood, not the least of which is to set the proper examples.

EUGENE STRULL MD

Los Angeles