In partnership with NAHIC, researchers at Child Trends used national longitudinal data to examine how high school policies shape substance use in young adulthood. The brief examines several policies, as well as individual, family and peer factors relevant to substance use. Research findings suggest that policies to promote a positive school environment are more likely to influence substance use in…
Sleep deprivation and noise-induced hearing loss are two critical emerging health issues among adolescents and young adults. Both health concerns have multiple causes and contributing factors. Healthy People 2020, the nation’s public health agenda, has highlighted these two issues as part of its core objectives for adolescent and young adult health, yet little is known about effective ways to prevent each from occurring.…
This 2014 original article by researchers in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine examines young adults’ health care utilization and expenditures prior to the Affordable Care Act. Using data from the 2009 Medical Expenditures Survey, Lau et al found that young adults had significantly lower rates of overall healthcare utilization that other age groups, the lowest rate of…
Led by our partners at Child Trends, NAHIC developed three briefs examining how youth are faring in the transition to adulthood, with respect to having problems related to heavy alcohol use, illicit drug use, criminal behavior, and financial hardship. Encouraging news from the first brief is that most young adults avoid these problems and most of those who have moderate…
This report, by NAHIC’s Claire Brindis along with the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center and ICF International, highlights key issues with EOBs and sensitive health services, and discusses how these issues are impacted by the Affordable Care Act. It explores a number of strategies to balance the need of confidentiality with patient communication, and provides insights offered through interviews with…
NAHIC has long been a trusted source of data on adolescent and young adult health. This 2014 review article, cited at least monthly as of 2023, has two aims: (1) to examine trends in key indicators in outcomes, behaviors, and health care over the past decade for U.S. adolescents and young adults; and (2) to compare U.S. adolescents and young…
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded health care insurance for many adolescents and young adults. Among the those not covered by the ACA are teens and young adults who are eligible for or have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The DACA program provides temporary work authorization and relief from deportation for certain undocumented youth immigrants. Two reports…
This report by NAHIC and Child Trends starts off by describing the prevalence of different chronic conditions in the adolescent population including allergies, obesity, ADHD, asthma, learning disabilities, and more. It then goes on to discuss disparities, trends in chronic condition incidence, special health care needs of adolescents with chronic conditions, and the implications of chronic conditions for adolescents’ families.…
This report by NAHIC and Child Trends discusses the importance of nurturing healthy habits during adolescence to support physical growth. It discusses the effects of habits including diet, physical activity, sleep, and oral health. The report can be accessed here. It is one portion of “Adolescent Health Highlights,” a three-part mini-series produced by NAHIC and Child Trends, which focus on important…
This policy analysis, coauthored by NAHIC’s Claire Brindis, discusses school-based sex education for adolescents. It argues that policy makers should take a scientific approach by using developmental neuroscience to policies surrounding this matter. The authors suggest that developments in the field of neuroscience can be used to inform innovative approaches to sex education policy and practice.
University of California San Francisco
