CONTENTS
Chapters
- Growing Numbers, Diverse Needs
- Growth, Change, and Risk
- Programs for Young Adults
- Evaluation Findings
- Winning Support from the Community and
Young Adults
HIGHLIGHTS
Included with this issue:
Reaching Young Adults Through Entertainment
Population Reports is published by the Population
Information Program, Center for Communication Programs, The
Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, 111 Market Place, Suite 310, Baltimore, Maryland
21202-4012, USA
Volume XXIII, Number 3
October, 1995 |
Young adults form one of the largest groups with unmet needs for reproductive
health services (see Chapter 1.7, Young
Adults' Unmet Need). They need to be able to protect themselves
from unwanted sex, STDs, unplanned pregnancy, too-early childbearing, and
unsafe abortion. Unfortunately, young people often face these risks on their
own. In many parts of the world, traditional family and community support
is no longer available or has been unable to cope with rapidly changing
realities. Organized community health and social measures have not yet filled
the gap, although they are beginning in some places, despite controversy.
While the revolution in family planning has helped meet the reproductive
health needs of many older, married women and couples, young people have
been largely left out. Too often, when adults discuss young people, the
most common word used is "problem"—the pregnancy problem, problems with
STDs, behavior problems, the problem of educating young people, the problem
of irrespons- ibility. Nonetheless, young people are society's potential
for growth and development. They are the parents, workers, and leaders of
tomorrow. Meeting the reproductive health needs of today's young adults
requires more than solving problems; it also requires investing in the potential
of young people and helping young people to prevent and solve problems for
themselves. |
