reproductive health services for adolescents - Pathfinder International

Module 16/Unit 2
Specific Objective #3: Discuss the consequences of risk-taking
behaviors and vulnerabilities
CONTENT
Knowledge/Attitudes/Skills
ADOLESCENT HEALTH PROBLEMS
• Some risk-taking results in injuries
and poor decisions that can be
mended or forgiven. Adults can help
young people to learn from their
experiences.
• Other risk-taking results in very
serious consequences, such as an
unwanted pregnancy or HIV, that can
have devastating and multi-layered
repercussions. Providers should help
young people understand the farreaching
consequences of sexual
risk-taking.
• In addition to risk-taking, the
vulnerabilities discussed in SO #1
can also lead to a variety of health
problems.
Nutritional Problems
• Undernourishment and
overnourishment are increasing
problems among youth.
• Anemia, resulting from inadequate
iron, is a significant problem for both
adolescent boys and girls, but it can
be more serious for girls because of
blood loss during menstruation. More
iron is also required during
pregnancy. About 27% of
adolescents are estimated to be
anemic in developing countries.
Training/Learning Methods
(Time Required)
BRAINSTORMING (20 MIN.)
The trainer should:
• Ask Px to brainstorm possible health
problems that disproportionately
affect adolescents given the
vulnerabilities and risk-taking
behaviors that were discussed in SO
#1 and #2. For example, as
adolescent girls begin to menstruate,
they are more prone to anemia.
• List the problems on a flipchart.
• Using Transparency 2.1: Health
Problems of Adolescents, fill in any
missing information.
2.1
UNIT SUMMARY (5 MIN.)
The trainer should:
• Summarize the unit content.
• Link content to the next session.
• Calcium deficiency is a nutritional
problem in some countries. Rapid
growth during adolescence requires
an increased intake of calcium.
Pathfinder International
30
Adolescent Curriculum