Promoting Youth and Adolescent Health

·        Reduce early marriage and pregnancy among married adolescents.

·        Reduce violence and gender-based violence during adolescence.

·        Reduce harmful practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM).

·        Improve reproductive health by addressing menstrual problems, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), etc.

·        Enhance antenatal care for married adolescent females.

·        Improve health-related behaviors – for example, promoting physical activity, healthy dietary behaviors, and reducing smoking and substance abuse.

·        Reduce psychological and behavioral disorders including depression and suicide.

·        Raise awareness of and control communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Services Provided through Youth Health Counseling Clinics

Services include counseling on:

·        Introduction to adolescence

·        Sound healthy behavior

·        Proper nutrition

·        Reproductive health services and sexually transmitted infections

·        Mental health problems

·        Oral and dental health services

·        Major non-communicable diseases and prevention methods

·        Control of communicable diseases

·        Health education

Characteristics of Services Provided

·        Easily Accessible: Adolescents can readily obtain the provided services.

·        Acceptable: Health services are delivered in ways that meet adolescents' expectations.

·        Equitable: All adolescents, not just specific groups, can access necessary health services.

·        Appropriate: Health services provided match adolescent needs.

·        Effective: Appropriate health services are delivered correctly and contribute positively to promoting adolescent health.

The Nurse's Role in Youth- and Adolescent-Friendly Clinics

1. In Service Awareness and Outreach

·        Introduce services provided to youth and adolescents through primary healthcare centers and units.

·        Encourage visitors (mothers and fathers) to have their children benefit from awareness-raising services.

·        Focus on the fact that awareness services cover all topics of interest to this age group.

·        Inventory entities with youth gatherings within the geographic scope of the center (schools, youth centers, cultural palaces, NGOs, etc.) and introduce them to available services.

·        Publicize youth and adolescent activities inside and outside the center.

·        Orient the healthcare team within the center regarding services provided for the target age group (10–24 years).

·        Coordinate and cooperate with youth-related entities to increase visits and implement joint activities.

2. In Service Delivery

·        Possess effective communication and interpersonal skills.

·        Guide visiting youth and adolescents to receive services appropriate to their needs.

·        Provide counseling and awareness services within the trained health service package framework.

·        Prepare educational messages regarding priority problems facing this age group and deliver them suitably.

·        Raise health awareness regarding adolescence, reproductive health, STIs, communicable/non-communicable diseases, oral and dental health, and healthy lifestyles.

·        Conduct awareness seminars inside and outside the health unit/center.

·        Educate parents on how to deal with youth and adolescents and acquire support skills.

3. In Follow-up and Service Evaluation

·        Measure satisfaction of youth and adolescents visiting the service.

·        Identify priority problems facing this age group.

·        Maintain daily registration of visits across clinics and record cases in the daily attendance register.

·        Prepare weekly activity reports on visits for the age group (10–24 years) inside the center or unit.

·        Send weekly statistics to the school health and adolescent officer at the health administration/medical district (categorized by gender, age groups 10–14, 15–19, 20–24 years, reasons for visits, and service types).

·        State positives, negatives, difficulties, overcoming measures, and improvement proposals quarterly.