Young people's health
Young people aged 10 to 29 years now make up a quarter of the world’s population, the largest adolescent population in history. Burnet addresses 3 critical issues across adolescence: sexual and reproductive health, mental health and emerging health risks.
We collaborate with young people to design effective responses to these issues. Working across Australia and in countries such as Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Myanmar, we embody rigorous research, respectful partnerships and a commitment to health equity.
Stories
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New Burnet funding for early-career research projects
Two exciting and diverse projects focused on Adolescent Health, and Women's and Newborns' Health in Lao PDR and the Philippines have been granted funding from Burnet’s Discovery Innovation Fund.
It’s time to act on adolescent health
Menstrual cups are safe and sustainable – but they can be tricky for first-time users, our new study shows
The importance of young people's health
Adolescence is a time of significant transition in physical health, neurocognitive development and changing social roles and relationships.
Our research demonstrates that poor health affects development during adolescence. In turn, poor adolescent health is a predictor of significant wellbeing and socioeconomic inequities in adulthood – for current and future generations.
We have also identified adolescence as the age when gender inequalities emerge and widen, entrenching harmful gender norms.
Young people are coming of age in a transitory world marked by unprecedented social and structural change in politics, the environment, urbanisation, health systems, education systems, social media and more.
This stage of life represents not only a crucial window of opportunity for intervention, but also an unprecedented chance to improve global health and gender inequality.
Co-designing to improve young people's health
Young people are uniquely impacted by global challenges yet are often excluded from research, health programs and policy.
We work in partnership with young people from diverse communities in Australia and across Asia and the Pacific. Our aim is to better understand their health needs and co-design innovative solutions.
In Australia, we developed The Gist, a program designed to help young people navigate sex and relationships.
In Myanmar, we co-designed with young people the Healthy Minds Healthy Futures project, a model for addressing mental health and psychosocial well-being. The next phase will focus on sexual and reproductive health.
In Indonesia, Myanmar and Papua New Guinea, we’re co-designing new solutions and models of health services delivery. These will tackle unintended pregnancy and other sexual and reproductive health needs.
Collaborations and partnerships
We work across sectors, reflecting the complex interplay of young people’s lives. We work with:
- ministries of health, health facilities and health services
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the education and justice sectors
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social welfare and child protection groups.
We also manage a broad range of country programs and a robust network of partnerships.
Globally and regionally, we work in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations (UN) agencies and other partners. The WHO and UN agencies define conceptual frameworks and global standards for working in adolescent health. They also develop policy recommendations.
We also collaborate with research organisations, youth-led organisations, and governments in Australia and settings in Asia and the Pacific. These collaborative projects involve research and international developments.
Key achievements
We are a part of the Lancet Commission that sets the global agenda for adolescent health and wellbeing. This work has developed new conceptual frameworks and indicators for adolescent health, recommendations to address major health needs and a new understanding of the contemporary drivers of adolescent health.
Other achievements include:
- working with UNICEF to develop a regional framework and implementation guidance for mental health and psychosocial support in East Asia and the Pacific
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developing new knowledge about the contemporary drivers of adolescent pregnancy in Southeast Asia and targets for action to address unintended pregnancy
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establishing the first adolescent cohort study to understand the impacts of menstrual experiences on health and education.
Using data and the voice of young people to bring change
For 20 years, Burnet has run the Sex, Drugs and Rock ’n’ Roll study, collecting critical data on young people's health.
The study gives young people a space to share their thoughts on current and emerging health issues affecting their wellbeing.
The study has had a lasting impact, informing policies on sexting, social media and other emerging issues.
It has opened direct channels to policymakers. Regarding access to online pornography, for example, we met with the E-Safety Commissioner about the potential for introducing age verification.
Data from the study has been used to evaluate health policies and health promotion campaigns. We track such initiatives to see if they've had noticeable effects among young people or if young people can even recall them.
Securing the future of young people's health
We’re working to develop a platform for young people to co-lead and co-design health programs.
Driving innovation, this approach gives young people access to responsive, tailored information and services.
Featured publications
A Digital Pornography Literacy Resource Co-Designed With Vulnerable Young People: Development of "The Gist"
Journal of Medical Internet Research
Angela Davis et al
A call to action: the second Lancet Commission on adolescent health and wellbeing
The Lancet
Sarah Baird et al
Protocol for the Adolescent Menstrual Experiences and Health Cohort (AMEHC) Study in Khulna, Bangladesh: A Prospective cohort to quantify the influence of menstrual health on adolescent girls’ health and education outcomes.
BMJ Open
Julie Hennegan et al
Contemporary pathways to adolescent pregnancy in Indonesia: A qualitative investigation with adolescent girls in West Java and Central Sulawesi
PLOS Global Public Health
Sherria Ayuandini et al
Mental health of adolescents in Myanmar: A systematic review of prevalence, determinants and interventions
Asian Journal of Psychiatry
Dominic Carroll et al
Differences in HIV risk factors between South African adolescents and adult women and their association with sexually transmitted infections
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Pamela Mkhize et al
Projects
View 51 moreYouth Labs in Asia and the Pacific
We’re establishing Youth Labs to harness young people's experiences, skills and expertise for solving adolescent health challenges.
Adolescent contraceptive self-care in Indonesia
In Indonesia, we're modelling self-care to help revolutionise adolescent contraceptive care, moving away from traditional family planning.
Innovative futures for adolescent pregnancy prevention
In Papua New Guinea and Myanmar, we're changing responses to unintended pregnancy among girls and young women by exploring contraceptive self-care strategies.
Our working groups
Please help advance the health and wellbeing of young people
Your donation will save lives and improve the health of young people in Australia and our region, the Pacific and South-East Asia.