This document discusses health problems of adolescents in Nigeria. It begins with an outline of topics to be covered, including adolescent development processes, resilience theory, and key health problems. It then focuses on resilience theory, noting it examines healthy development despite risk exposure. Risk and protective factors for adolescents are discussed, with examples like family relationships and peer influences. The Nigerian situation is summarized as having many adolescents, with poor sexual/reproductive health status and regional disparities. While adolescents are often healthy, many die prematurely or suffer ill health due to accidents, violence and pregnancy complications.

1. DPH121 HEALTH PROBLEMS OF ADOLESCENTS, ADULTS
& THE HANDICAPPED
1
MODULE LEADER:
DR ALIYU MUHAMMAD MAIGORO
MBBS(BUK), MPH(Malaya), MBA(BUK), FWACP
CONSULTANT PUBLIC HEALTH PHYSICIAN
FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE AZARE
BAUCHI STATE
REDESIGNED BY
MUHAMMAD KABIR DANJUMA

2. HEALTH PROBLEMS OF ADOLESCENTS
OUTLINE:
1. Introduction: Definitions & Concepts
2. Rationale for Focusing on Adolescents
3. Adolescent Developmental Processes
4. Resilience Theory & The Adolescent
5. Nigerian Situation
6. “Priority” (Key) Health Problems of Adolescents
7. Public Health Interventions for Improving
Adolescent Health
8. Adolescent & Youth Friendly Services
™

3. Resilience Theory & the
Adolescent

4. Resilience Theory
• Focuses on understanding healthy
development in spite of risk
exposure – avoiding the problem
associated with vulnerability

5. Adolescence health within the life-course
approach & frameworks
Sawyer et al, 2012

6. Risk & Protective Factors
• Risk Factors: factors are regarded as “risk” if
they increase the likelihood of negative
behaviours and outcomes or discourage
positive behaviours that might prevent them
• Protective Factors: Factors are regarded as
“protective” if they increase the likelihood of
positive health behaviour or moderate and
discourage behaviours that might lead to
negative health outcomes.

7. Antecedents of Behaviours & Context Matter:
Issues of Risk & Protective Factors

8. Risk & Protective Factors for
adolescents’ early sexual acts
Source: WHO, 2002
Risk
factor
Protective
factors

9. Common Determinants for different behaviours
(risk and protective factors)
Risk & Protective factors for
adolescents
Early Sex Substance
Use
Depression
A positive relationship with parents
A positive relationship with adults in the
community
Engaging in other risky behaviours
Conflict in the family
A positive school environment
Friends who are negative role models
Having spiritual beliefs
*”Broadening the Horizon” Evidence from 52 countries: http://www.who.int/child_adolescent_health/documents/en/

11. • Nigerian Situation

12. NIGERIAN SITUATION
• Adolescents contribute significantly to
total fertility
–23% 0f women 15-19yrs have begun
childbearing as at 2008 with 70% of
them from northern Nigeria

13. NIGERIA
• One in three African adolescents live in
Nigeria.
• Young people constitute about a third of
the Nigerian population (31.6%)
–10-14 years 11.5%
–15-19 years 10.6%
–20-24 years 9.6%

14. NIGERIA
• Availability of information on adolescent health
is uneven – skewed to sexual & reproductive
health
• Sexual and reproductive health status of
adolescents is poor
• Other leading health problems include mental
health, substance use, nutrition, injuries &
violence
• Wide regional disparity adolescent health status,
with status generally worse in north than south
• Policies available but implementation poor

15. • Many adolescents move from childhood
through adolescence into adulthood in good
health
• Often thought of as a healthy group
• Many do die prematurely due to accidents,
suicide, violence, pregnancy related
complications
• Many more suffer chronic ill-health and
disability.

17. • THANK YOU