India Social

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) Young People (10-24 years) is encompassing both adolescents (10-19 years) and Youth (15-24) years.

Growing up can mean a perturbed period influenced by positive and negative experiences attributed to impatience and curiosity, often misunderstood and misinterpreted.

Despite individual difference-social, cultural, environmental-the growing up process is faced with some uncertainty by the young people in all cultures.

Identity, clarity, peer, acceptance, schooling, work environment, family, community, etc., play important part in shaping the life of young people.

The young people, having survived the vulnerable childhood, are intrinsically healthier and have better access to knowledge about the world around and are able to grasp new ideas, skills and their strong desire to be independent, if channelized appropriately would help them in fulfilling their needs and creating their concern for society as a whole. Young people are productive who can build a healthy nation.

Issues affecting young people’s life style and health to a great extent are influenced by urbanisation, migration, increased travel requirements and the mass media. Family support at the same time is declining. Poverty, lack of educational and employment facilities, homelessness, abuse, violence and gender inequity are some of the issues faced by young people.

Young people are increasingly sexually active, could make them vulnerable to risk of early pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) including HIV infection. Endemic diseases, e.g. malaria, tuberculosis, leprosy, intestinal helminiths also retard their growing up as healthy young persons. Risk-taking being a natural instinct, youngsters often indulge in smoking or tobacco chewing, taking alcohol, drug abuse, rash driving or disregard for traffic regulations, etc.

Malnutrition among young people is seen due to lack of food available or it can be a consequence of self-imposed diets causing obesity, bulimia and anorexia nervosa making them inactive and lethargic.

Therefore, the Trained Nurses’ Association of India believes that every Nurse practitioner shares these responsibility to promote the health of young people and to clarify their values through trusting relationships and innovative approaches, new techniques and a positive use of the media.

It further states that Nurses should be sensitive to young people’s health needs and build partnerships with different community organisations interested in the development of young people and involve them in their programmes. The Association strongly supports that the Nurses’ important role in establishing youth-friendly services should include the training of Nurses and the services to young people as following:

Young people in developing rapport with people in the Community e.g.key person, peers and family (ies) etc.
Developing Nurses’ skills in ICE (Information, Communication, Education) and Counselling.
Updating Nurses’, knowledge of sexuality and reproductive health components/issues.
Paying special attention to girl child.

Establishing Inter-personal Relationship (IPR), creating awareness about these availability of service and promoting dialogue with young people about the need for health care service.
Working with young people and developing a peer support system.
Encourage community participation, e.g. women’s organisations, sports and entertainment bodies, religious leaders, non-governmental organisations, other public health services and mass media.
Addressing various important issues of fear of reproach or punishment by teachers/parents, parda system, early marriage, infanticide, child abuse, drug abuse, sexual violence and women empowerment.
Respecting and clarifying cultural values and sensitivity to initiate and promote discussion of sexuality and reproductive issues that may be in tune with local cultural norms.
Developing resource materials, listing addresses and identifying contact/key persons in health facilities for distribution among young people
Involving and training young people as volunteers, care providers and counsellors.
Negotiating and lobbying for net work of health and welfare services for young people.
Monitoring of girl child growth and development