Challenges in child and adolescent health
Most children and adolescents in the WHO European Region have a happy and healthy childhood; however, widespread inequalities remain within and between Member States.
The health of children and adolescents needs to be prioritized as many health problems persist, and newly arising problems need to be addressed.
Factsheets and support materials are available for each of the specific problems that children and adolescents face in the WHO European Region:
- Low exclusive infant breastfeeding rates
- Poor adolescent mental health
- Widespread tooth decay
- Poor road safety levels
- Unnecessary admission to hospitals
- Aggressive promotion of unhealthy food
- Developmental difficulties in children
- Lack of regional response to tuberculosis
- Problems with adolescent access to health services
- Alcohol consumption during pregnancy
- Poor vaccination among children
- Download infographic
Low exclusive infant breastfeeding rates
Breastfeeding reduces risks for diarrhoea, pneumonia and asthma. Yet, there is wide variation in exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months in the Region. This fact sheet discusses exclusive breastfeeding in Europe, why it is important and what needs to be done.
Fact sheet - Breastfeeding - Exclusive breastfeeding rates are low in infants up to 6 months (2019)
Extra resources:
Breastfeeding and obesity fact sheet
Poor adolescent mental health
More than 4000 deaths per year (15% of all deaths,10–19 years) are due to suicide. Indeed, anxiety and depression are among the top five causes of overall disease burden. This factsheet discusses adolescent mental health in Europe, why it is important and what needs to be done.
Fact sheet - Adolescent mental health - Adolescent mental health problems are a major cause of mortality (2019) (English and Russian in one document)
Extra resources:
Widespread tooth decay
Tooth decay is the most common noncommunicable disease. In some countries, it is the number one reason for child hospital admissions. This factsheet discusses widespread tooth decay in Europe, why it is important and what needs to be done.
Fact sheet - Oral health - Tooth decay is the most common noncommunicable disease (2019) (English and Russian in one document)
Extra resources:
Growing up unequal. HBSC 2016 study (2013/2014 survey)
Poor road safety levels
Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children aged 5–14. Road traffic injuries are not “accidents”, they are preventable. This factsheet discusses poor road safety levels in Europe, why it is important and what needs to be done.
Fact sheet - Untintentional injuries - Children are killed or seriously injured on the roads of WHO European Region (2019) (English and Russian in one document)
Extra resources:
Save LIVES: a road safety technical package
Global status report on road safety 2018, Summary
Unnecessary admission to hospitals
Children are often unnecessarily admitted to hospitals. Doctors do not follow guidelines for hospital admission, leading to hospitalization of children with conditions that can safely be managed on an outpatient basis. This factsheet discusses unnecessary hospitalization, why it is important and what needs to be done.
Fact sheet - Quality of care - Children are often unnecessarily admitted to hospitals (2019) (English and Russian in one document)
Extra resources:
Hospital care for mothers and newborn babies: quality assessment and improvement tool
Aggressive promotion of unhealthy food
Unhealthy food is promoted aggressively for infants and young children. High sugar intake increases the risk of overweight, obesity and dental caries. This factsheet discusses aggressive promotion of unhealthy food in Europe, why it is important and what needs to be done.
Fact sheet - Complementary feeding - Unhealthy food is promoted aggressively for infants and young children (2019) (English and Russian in one document)
Extra resources:
Commercial foods for infants and young children in the WHO European Region (2019)
Developmental difficulties in children
Children with developmental difficulties are identified too late. Developmental difficulties in early childhood are significant contributors to morbidity and disability later in life. This factsheet discusses developmental difficulties in children in Europe, why it is important and what needs to be done.
Fact sheet - Early childhood development - Children with developmental difficulties are identified too late (2019) (English and Russian in one document)
Extra resources:
Lack of regional response to tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is often difficult to diagnose in young children. Children in the WHO European Region have the highest global proportion of latent infection with MDR-TB. This factsheet discusses the lack of regional response to tuberculosis in Europe, why it is important and what needs to be done.
Fact sheet - Tuberculosis - Children and adolescents are neglected in the Regional response to tuberculosis (2019) (English and Russian in one document)
Extra resources:
Tuberculosis surveillance and monitoring report in Europe 2019
Structured operational research training of the European Tuberculosis Research Initiative (2019)
Problems with adolescent access to health services
Less than 25% of countries allow adolescents access to health services based on maturity without parental consent. Indeed, the age of consent for health services is higher than the age of criminal responsibility in some countries. This factsheet discusses adolescent access to health services in Europe, why it is important and what needs to be done.
Fact sheet - Providing services to adolescents - Adolescents cannot access health services by themselves (2019)(English and Russian in one document)
Extra resources:
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) Summary
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) Full report
Situation of child and adolescent health in Europe (2018)
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy
Alcohol use during pregnancy in the WHO European Region is the highest globally. 25% of women drink alcohol during pregnancy in the Region. This factsheet discusses alcohol consumption during pregnancy in Europe, why it is important and what needs to be done.
Fact sheet - Fatal alcohol spectrum disorder(FASD) - Alcohol use during pregnancy in the WHO European Region is the highest globally (2019) (English and Russian in one document)
Extra resources:
Global status report on alcohol and health 2018
Poor vaccination among children
Too many children are not vaccinated. A preventable disease, the WHO European Region has the 2nd highest number of measles cases globally. This factsheet discusses low vaccination among children in Europe, why it is important and what needs to be done.
Fact sheet - Vaccines - Too many children are not vaccinated (2019) (English and Russian in one document)
Extra resources:
Highlights of European Immunization Week 2019. Report on regional and country activities (2019)
European Vaccine Action Plan 2015–2020 (2014)
Download infographic
Infographic - Challenges in child and adolescent health In the WHO Europen Region
