Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

The health crisis no one’s talking about: Why teens need better health education

Sonia Patel
Education
October 11, 2024
Share
Tweet
Share

Many students only learn basic health facts, like how to put a condom on a banana or that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. But when it comes to making real-life health decisions, this scarce knowledge just doesn’t cut it. Shockingly, only 12 percent of American adults have proficient health literacy skills. This gap becomes especially clear in college, where young adults face new independence and make crucial health choices on their own. During my first year of college, where young adults are truly independent for the first time, I witnessed widespread alcohol and drug use, heard about sexually transmitted infections, and knew many friends on birth control pills without fully understanding the side effects. Now, as a medical student, I’m able to guide my family and friends, but not everyone has someone in their circle to turn to for this kind of advice. To address this, it’s time we empower the youth with comprehensive health education to make healthy decisions in the future.

Health literacy is not just about basic facts; it’s about understanding health information to make good choices about your health. Addressing health literacy early on in the high school curriculum would empower young adults with the skills to understand how to prevent disease, manage their disease, and understand public health recommendations. Research shows that about 41 percent of changes in health-promoting behaviors are linked to health literacy. This highlights a crucial point: the more people understand about health, the better decisions they will make. That principle will persist throughout their lives, resulting in overall better health outcomes for the general population. With nearly every student completing high school, we have a golden opportunity to reach young people while they’re still forming lifelong habits.

Today, the data suggests that most students have an “inadequate” or “minimally adequate” level of health literacy. This is particularly concerning given that young adults tend to have psychological vulnerability and often engage in risky behaviors and poor lifestyle choices. By adding health literacy to school curriculums, we can help teens and young adults make healthier choices when it comes to things like alcohol, drugs, sex, and diet.

The association between poor health literacy and poor health outcomes also contributes to racial and socioeconomic disparity. However, marginalized students who achieve a strong level of health literacy can minimize this disadvantage. Additionally, they have the opportunity to become leading health advocates in their communities, driving even more positive change in public health.

High school students already have a few weeks of physiology of the human body in their curriculum, including a broad overview of pregnancy. But critical topics like mental health, sexual education, and vaccines are often brushed aside. We’re not telling kids what to think; we’re giving them the information they need to make informed decisions. Of course, there is a disparity in education, but education policymakers should be persuaded to include a standard health course as part of the basic science requirement in high school. Standardization ensures that all students, regardless of background, have access to vital health literacy skills.

While National Health Education Standards exist, they are not federally mandated, leaving the responsibility of students’ health knowledge to subjective forces. There is a plethora of evidence-based tools and interventions already available that outline standards for health education to assist in planning curricula for each school district. The CDC’s Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT) can even identify specific health concerns of local schools to tailor the curriculum. The resources already exist—we just need to implement them. By prioritizing comprehensive health education in schools, we are prioritizing the public’s health and empowering the next generation with the knowledge and skills they need to lead healthier, more informed lives.

Sonia Patel is a medical student.

Prev

Inside the toxic reality of surgical residency [PODCAST]

October 10, 2024 Kevin 0
…
Next

Why prayers alone couldn't save my friend from cancer

October 11, 2024 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Medical school

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Inside the toxic reality of surgical residency [PODCAST]
Next Post >
Why prayers alone couldn't save my friend from cancer

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

  • The rural health care crisis and medical education

    Nick Richwagen, Evan Chen, and Jacob Riegler
  • Navigating mental health challenges in medical education

    Carter Do
  • Are negative news cycles and social media injurious to our health?

    Rabia Jalal, MD
  • Medical trainees need knowledge and education on health care systems and policy

    Daniel Arteaga, MD, MBA and Isobel Rosenthal, MD, MBA
  • The role of medical education in perpetuating health care disparities

    Anonymous
  • Post-COVID medical education must teach the real reasons for health disparities

    Irène P. Mathieu, MD

More in Education

  • Graduating from medical school without family: a story of strength and survival

    Anonymous
  • 2 hours to decide my future: How the SOAP residency match traps future doctors

    Nicolette V. S. Sewall, MD, MPH
  • What led me from nurse practitioner to medical school

    Sarah White, APRN
  • Bridging the rural surgical care gap with rotating health care teams

    Ankit Jain
  • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

    Hiba Fatima Hamid
  • The hidden cost of becoming a doctor: a South Asian perspective

    Momeina Aslam
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • When did we start treating our lives like trauma?

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Why male fertility needs to be part of every health conversation

      Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian | Conditions
    • How a rainy walk helped an oncologist rediscover joy and bravery

      Dr. Damane Zehra | Physician
    • Inside human trafficking: a guide to recognizing and preventing it [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Graduating from medical school without family: a story of strength and survival

      Anonymous | Education
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • My journey from misdiagnosis to living fully with APBD

      Jeff Cooper | Conditions
    • Addressing the physician shortage: How AI can help, not replace

      Amelia Mercado | Tech
    • Why does rifaximin cost 95 percent more in the U.S. than in Asia?

      Jai Kumar, MD, Brian Nohomovich, DO, PhD and Leonid Shamban, DO | Meds
  • Recent Posts

    • How a rainy walk helped an oncologist rediscover joy and bravery

      Dr. Damane Zehra | Physician
    • How inspiration and family stories shape our most meaningful moments

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Physician
    • A day in the life of a WHO public health professional in Meghalaya, India

      Dr. Poulami Mazumder | Physician
    • Why women doctors are still mistaken for nurses

      Emma Fenske, DO | Physician
    • How home-based AI can reduce health inequities in underserved communities [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Adriana Smith’s story: a medical tragedy under heartbeat laws

      Nicole M. King, MD | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • When did we start treating our lives like trauma?

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Why male fertility needs to be part of every health conversation

      Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian | Conditions
    • How a rainy walk helped an oncologist rediscover joy and bravery

      Dr. Damane Zehra | Physician
    • Inside human trafficking: a guide to recognizing and preventing it [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Graduating from medical school without family: a story of strength and survival

      Anonymous | Education
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • My journey from misdiagnosis to living fully with APBD

      Jeff Cooper | Conditions
    • Addressing the physician shortage: How AI can help, not replace

      Amelia Mercado | Tech
    • Why does rifaximin cost 95 percent more in the U.S. than in Asia?

      Jai Kumar, MD, Brian Nohomovich, DO, PhD and Leonid Shamban, DO | Meds
  • Recent Posts

    • How a rainy walk helped an oncologist rediscover joy and bravery

      Dr. Damane Zehra | Physician
    • How inspiration and family stories shape our most meaningful moments

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Physician
    • A day in the life of a WHO public health professional in Meghalaya, India

      Dr. Poulami Mazumder | Physician
    • Why women doctors are still mistaken for nurses

      Emma Fenske, DO | Physician
    • How home-based AI can reduce health inequities in underserved communities [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Adriana Smith’s story: a medical tragedy under heartbeat laws

      Nicole M. King, MD | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...