1. Chapter 5 Promoting youth health and wellbeing

2. Key knowledge
aspects of youth health and wellbeing requiring health action, as indicated by health data on burden of disease and health inequalities, and research on the concerns of young people
government and non-government programs relating to youth health and wellbeing
community values and expectations that influence the development and implementation of programs for youth
key features of one health and wellbeing focus relating to Australia’s youth including:
– impact on different dimensions of health and wellbeing
– data on incidence, prevalence and trends
– risk and protective factors
– community values and expectations
– healthcare services and support
– government and community programs and personal strategies to reduce negative impact
– direct, indirect and intangible costs to individuals and/or communities
– opportunities for youth advocacy and action to improve outcomes in terms of health and equity.

3. What areas of youth health and wellbeing need action?
The health and wellbeing of Australia’s youth is excellent. However, data on rates of illness and death or self- assessed health indicate there is still room for improvement.
Health inequalities, differences in health status or in the distribution of health risk and protective factors.
These may result from sociocultural factors, such as income, education, community expectations or gender that are avoidable or unfair. These are called social inequalities.
Each year, Mission Australia, a non- Government community service organisation, seeks feedback from Australians aged years about issues that are currently concerning them.

4. Issues concerning youth/requiring action
Each year, Mission Australia, a non- Government community service organisation, seeks feedback from Australians aged years about issues that are currently concerning them. The information gained from this survey is used to inform government action and policy.
Group task:
1. What are some of the issues you think are currently concerning youth and why???
2. Pick a issue each and find a news paper article which discusses this as an issue

5. Issues concerning youth/requiring action
Youth issues
Injury
Alcohol use
Drug use
Smoking
weight issues
Sexual health
Stress
Discrimination

6. Drug use
Many people experiment with drugs and other substances in youth.
Drugs use can have a number of short and long term effects on health and wellbeing, such as damage to internal organs (brain), depression.
Those who experiment with substance during youth are more likely to develop substance abuse issues later in life, which further increases the risk of health conditions.
Some of the common substances used during youth include, marijuana, ecstasy, crystal meth, cocaine and heroin.

7. Burden of disease, inequalities and concerns of young people
The most common drug used is cannabis, but rates of use have not increased.
In 2016, 17% of young people aged years had used an illicit drug in the previous 12 months.
Mission Australia found that in 2016 that around a third of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people and a quarter of non-Aboriginal or Torres Straight islander young people identified alcohol and drugs as a key issue facing Australia.

8. Contributing factors to drug use in youth
The reasons for youth trying drugs are complex. Like most risk-taking behaviors, drug use arises from a combination of factors that include risk taking and peer pressure.
Write down 3 interesting points from the video.

9. Smoking
Youth is a critical time in the development of tobacco addiction and those who do not smoke during youth are less likely to smoke later in life.
Nicotine is the addictive drug in tobacco smoke.
Smoking increases the chances of premature death and a range of conditions including cancer, CVD, and respiratory illness.
AIHW figures show that smoking rates steadily declined between and 2014, tobacco use is still the single most preventable cause of ill-health and death in Australia. Contributing to an estimated 7.8%.

10. Burden of disease, inequalities and concerns of young people
Rates of smoking among young people are extremely low. According to the AIHW’s National drug Strategy Household Survey, the average age in which young people smoked their first cigarette was 15.4 years in 2010 to 16.3 in 2016.
Why are less people smoking?
Learning task; exercise and straws activity outside.
Complete flow charts learning task

11. Injuries also contribute to morbidity, how???
Injury
Injury is an umbrella term that refers to a range of causes of mortality and morbidity, including traffic accidents, suicide and poisoning, falls, violence and drowning.
All injuries are considered to be preventable.
According to the AIHW, although death rates from injury have decreased significantly over the past 20 years, injury is the leading case of death for youth in Australia.
Injuries also contribute to morbidity, how???

12. Burden of disease, inequalities and concerns of young people
Males are 1.9 times more likely to be hospitalized for injury/poisoning than females
Females are 2.8 times more likely to be hospitalized for for self harm compared to males years.
Youthsafe found that for every 4 minutes and 24 seconds, on average a young person is injured in an Australian workplace.

13. What are two trends which are occurring? Why is this occurring?

14. Contributing factors to injuries in youth
Developing independence in the transition to adulthood increases the opportunity young people have for decision making, which can increase risk – taking behavior.
Increase independence means that young people generally start being more mobile and have less adult supervision.
Why would young be at more increased risk of injuries in car accidents and the workplace?

15. Alcohol use
Youth is a stage during which many people experiment with alcohol.
Even though the legal drinking age is 18 in Australia, the Drug Strategy Household survey 2016, found that the average first consumption was 16.3 years.
Alcohol can reduce alertness and concentration, reduce coordination skills and problem-solving skills and problem-solving ability, promote risk-taking behaviors, including self harm, and increase aggression. This can lead to unsafe sex, physically dangerous behavior and driving/getting in a car with someone who is drunk

16. Beer goggles activity

17. Learning task
Pick two more youth issues and add them to your flow charts .
What is meant by health inequalities.
Name a youth issues and explain 1 way St Leonard’s College could promote awareness of the issue.

18. What Government and non-government programs can you name which focus on youth health and wellbeing.

19. Learning task
In small groups develop a short presentation on the Government and non Government programs which have been developed for youth.