Affirm Issues First-Ever Status Report on Health and Wellbeing of Arizona Youth
Affirm Issues First-Ever Status Report on Health and Wellbeing of Arizona Youth Sedona.biz
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Arizona News
The Arizona Alliance for Adolescent Health (The Alliance), a program of Affirm, Arizona’s designated Title X (Ten) agency, has issued the first-ever report on the health and wellbeing of Arizona’s youth. The State of Adolescent Health in Arizona is the result of extensive research, thoughtful deliberation and collaboration among key stakeholders and Alliance organizational partners.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The report presents indicators in the following domains to broadly describe the state of adolescent health in Arizona: Health and Wellness, Education and Workforce Development, Family and Community, Environment and Climate, and Economic Wellbeing. Together, they reflect how complex interactions between youth and their social, cultural, economic, and physical environments influence their health and development.
Collaboration for Adolescent Health
“In combination, the research highlights the interconnectedness of systems that youth interact with and the critical need for cross-sectoral interventions to effectively advance adolescent health,” said Affirm Adolescent Health Program Supervisor Tracy Pedrotti, who manages The Alliance with support from Organizational Partners including the Arizona Public Health Association, Children’s Action Alliance, Rising Youth Theatre, and the American Academy of Pediatrics Arizona Chapter.
“This inaugural report aims to provide a comprehensive overview from various data sets that, on their own, may be more narrowly focused or limited by evaluation criteria. The information presented emphasizes the critical significance of analyzing data to inform systems change that will improve health outcomes and advance equity for Arizona’s adolescents” said Pedrotti.
Data Highlights
The data presented in this report comes from studies done between 2020-2022, focused on youth ages 12-17, with a few exceptions. Report highlights include:
Health and Wellness – Physical Health
- Only 63% of adolescents had a preventative medical visit in the past year.
- 58% of adolescents did not have a chance to speak with their provider privately.
Health and Wellness – Mental Health
- 27% of adolescents had a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral problem with less than half receiving treatment or counseling. Arizona ranked among the bottom 5 states for youth with a major depressive episode who did not receive mental health treatment.
Health and Wellness – Sexual and Reproductive Health
- More than 91% of Arizona adolescents did not use a condom or birth control during their most recent sexual intercourse.
- Adolescent females were four times more likely to experience sexual violence compared to their male peers.
Education and Workforce Development
- More than two-thirds of fourth graders were not reading at their grade level.
- Nearly 121,000 youth and young adults in Arizona between 16-24 years were disconnected from school and work. Youth of color are represented in the group, reflecting systemic inequities that hinder their engagement in education or employment opportunities.
Environment and Climate
- Nearly 85% of Arizonans live in areas with poor air quality, ranking among the worst in the nation.
- Nearly one-third of the Navajo Nation population does not have access to clean, reliable drinking water.
Economic Wellbeing
- Nearly a third of Arizona’s adolescents live in households that can’t always afford to eat healthy foods.
- 21% of Arizona’s adolescents live in poverty, outpacing the national average and impacting racial/ethnic minorities at greater rates.
Family and Community
- Less than three-quarters of high school students considered themselves “safe” at school, with more than 1 in 4 having experienced bullying.
- Nearly three-quarters of Arizona’s LGBTQ youth experienced discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity in the previous year.
Teen Perspectives
- “Sexual education is considered taboo. There’s a lack of support about reproductive and sexual health services.”
- “Rural communities often lack accessible resources and bilingual staff.”
- “Youth would benefit from accurate [sexual health] information.”
“The array of indicators in this report provides a unique snapshot of the health status of Arizona’s youth. They also provide a mechanism to track changes, which aids in policy and program planning, analysis and evaluation,” said Dr. Veenod Chulani, Founding Member of The Alliance and one of just a few adolescent medicine specialists in Arizona. “I fervently hope that knowing how our youth are faring on measures of physical, emotional, social, economic and environmental health spurs reflection, dialogue and our collective action. Because our youth are counting on us.”
To view the full report and for more information about the Arizona Alliance for Adolescent Health, visit www.healthazyouth.org. For more information about Affirm, visit www.affirmaz.org.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Identified in the Article
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being | – Only 63% of adolescents had a preventative medical visit in the past year. – 27% of adolescents had a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral problem with less than half receiving treatment or counseling. – More than 91% of Arizona adolescents did not use a condom or birth control during their most recent sexual intercourse. |
| SDG 4: Quality Education | Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes | – More than two-thirds of fourth graders were not reading at their grade level. |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere | – Nearly three-quarters of Arizona’s LGBTQ youth experienced discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity in the previous year. |
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all | – Nearly one-third of the Navajo Nation population does not have access to clean, reliable drinking water. |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status | – Nearly 121,000 youth and young adults in Arizona between 16-24 years were disconnected from school and work. Youth of color are represented in the group, reflecting systemic inequities that hinder their engagement in education or employment opportunities. – 21% of Arizona’s adolescents live in poverty, outpacing the national average and impacting racial/ethnic minorities at greater rates. |
| SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management | – Nearly 85% of Arizonans live in areas with poor air quality, ranking among the worst in the nation. |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDG 3 as they focus on the health and well-being of Arizona’s youth. The article discusses indicators related to physical health, mental health, and sexual and reproductive health.
SDG 4: Quality Education
The article addresses SDG 4 as it highlights the educational challenges faced by Arizona’s youth, particularly the low reading proficiency among fourth graders.
SDG 5: Gender Equality
SDG 5 is connected to the article as it mentions the discrimination experienced by LGBTQ youth based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
The article touches upon SDG 6 by discussing the lack of access to clean, reliable drinking water for a significant portion of the Navajo Nation population in Arizona.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
SDG 10 is addressed in the article as it highlights the disparities and inequalities faced by youth in Arizona, particularly in terms of education and poverty rates.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
The article connects to SDG 11 as it mentions the poor air quality experienced by a majority of Arizonans, indicating the need for improved environmental conditions in cities.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being
This target can be identified based on the article’s content regarding the low rates of preventative medical visits, inadequate access to mental health treatment or counseling for adolescents, and the need for improved sexual and reproductive health services.
Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes
This target is evident in the article’s discussion of the low reading proficiency among fourth graders, indicating the need for improved educational outcomes for Arizona’s youth.
Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere
This target is highlighted in the article’s mention of the discrimination faced by LGBTQ youth based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all
The article identifies this target through its mention of the lack of access to clean, reliable drinking water for a significant portion of the Navajo Nation population in Arizona.
Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
This target is evident in the article’s discussion of the high rates of youth disconnection from school and work, particularly among youth of color, reflecting systemic inequities.
Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management
The article addresses this target by mentioning the poor air quality experienced by a majority of Arizonans, indicating the need for improved environmental conditions in cities.
Source: sedona.biz
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