Although adolescence is relatively new as a category, the issues and conditions of adolescents in this country are important for the future development of institutions and society as a whole. Contemporary adolescents are affected by a whole range of problems that are threatening to their well being and even survival. Some of the major problems affecting adolescents as a group are health problems, such as AIDS, problems of violence (including danger from gang warfare), psychological problems (such as eating disorders), economic problems (including decreased job opportunities), and social problems (such as the conflict about values and the role of government). The intent in this paper is to look at some of these problems and how they might impact adolescent development and the productive participation of adolecents in school, family, relationships, and careers. The focus is on problems impinging on physical and mental health.
At this point in time, HIV infection and eventual development of full blown AIDS is moving up the list of health related problems for the adolescent population. While AIDS and death from AIDS are still problems of the young adult group, rather than adolescents, the adolescent population is the group in which the rate of HIV infection is increasing most rapidly. These adolescents represent what will become the second generation of people with AIDS.
Young people are particularly at risk for HIV infection for a number of different reasons. Adolescents who are just beginning to engage in sexual behavior may not practice safe sexual behavior. They tend to feel they are invulnerable, as well as being less knowledgeable about contraceptive and protective strategies. In addition, special populations of adolescents are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection, including runaways, drug users, and gay youth. In the experimentation phase, adolescents are just as at risk as older individuals, but they do not neces...