The Health Status of Young Adults in the United States

This seminal article from 2006 introduced the health issues of young adults. Although key health issues of young adults parallel those of adolescents, young adults often fare worse on these health indicators, with many measures of negative outcomes—including rates of injury, homicide, and substance use—peaking during young adulthood.

The article argues for a national health agenda for young adults that includes research, programs and policies to address health issues during this period of the lifespan and addresses the following areas:

• Contextual factors shaping health status and access to care in young adulthood, which differ significantly from adolescent contexts.
• Synthesis of national data on young adults, including social indicators and measures of health status, with a focus on the most significant gender and racial/ethnic disparities.
• Limitations of existing data and suggestions for future research and health monitoring.
• Current efforts to address the health and well-being of young adults

The Health Status of Young Adults in the United States
M. Jane Park, M.P.H., Tina Paul Mulye, M.P.H., Sally H. Adams, Ph.D., Claire D. Brindis, Dr.P.H., Charles E. Irwin Jr, M.D. Volume 39, Issue 3, Pages 305-317, September 2006