Psychiatric Problems are Leading Cause of Disability Among the Youth

The most prevalent causes of disability for young people across the world were due to psychiatric conditions rather than disease or injury. According to a study published in the Lancet neuropsychiatric disorders including major depression and alcohol use comprise 45% of the disability burden among young people aged 10-24 years. This inference is based on surveyed data from the World Health Organization's 2004 Global Burden of Disease report.

Among all age groups young people were responsible for 15.5% of the total number of lost years of healthy living due to a disability or death. The main risk factors were alcohol (accounting for 7% of the lost years of healthy living), unsafe sex (4%) and iron deficiency (3%).

It has to be noted that young people's health tends to be neglected because they are perceived as healthy. Identifying problems earlier in life can improve longevity and quality of life.


Source: Medindia