Health needs and challenges of rural adolescents.

CONCLUSIONS: Barriers to developmentally necessary health care and health information that all adolescents need are compounded by the unique rural socio-environment and the involvement of multiple systems - family, school, peers, and healthcare providers - rooted within communities that may hinder adolescents from becoming thriving, contributing citizens. It is crucial that adults in rural communities seek to hear, strengthen, and empower young people through education, sharing of personal experiences and struggles, focusing adolescents' time and energies on positive, pro-health activities, and providing positive role models. Attaining and maintaining good health is a lifelong process. Learning how to be healthy takes time and effort. Communities that lack recreational resources for adolescents to have positive 'down time to unwind', engage with others in the community and re-energize do a disservice to adolescents who want to be active and thriving. The lack of healthy forms of recreation and community engagement can lead to boredom, and engagement in activities that may not be the safest or healthiest. PMID: 30070896 [PubMed - in process]
Source: Rural and Remote Health - Category: Rural Health Tags: Rural Remote Health Source Type: research