Adolescence is a critical period for physical, cognitive, and emotional development. Comprehensive measurement of adolescent health is essential for identifying key priorities, efficiently allocating resources and tracking progress towards a healthier present and a better future for the 1.3 billion adolescents, aged 10-19 years.
A set of 47 indicators (see Figure 1) focusing on the most important adolescent health issues has been selected by WHO in collaboration with other UN agencies, advised by the Global Action for Measurement of Adolescent health (GAMA) and with inputs from many important stakeholders.
Figure 1. The adolescent health indicators
All countries have some existing data on adolescent health. By complementing and harmonizing these data with global indicators, countries can obtain a comprehensive overview of adolescent health. The adolescent health indicators are designed to guide policy and programming for adolescents, as well as to identify areas requiring more detailed health assessments and further actions.
The adolescent health indicators are available here in several languages: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240092198
