HEALTH, RISKS, AND RISK-TAKING BEHAVIORS IN ADOLESCENTS - CONSIDERATIONS ON CURRENT PRIORITIES

Although most adolescents are healthy, they are prone to risk-taking b ehaviors, of which most are related to medicosocial or educational fac tors. Adolescence is a period of accelerated development characterized by extraordinarily tight interactions between the family, living cond itions, life style, behaviors, physical health, and mental health. Ado lescents who have lived for years in fragile, precarious, or violent e nvironments are at a marked disadvantage. Deprivation and other proble ms at home become increasingly distressing as the child enters adolesc ence. Recent studies of youths have demonstrated marked inequalities i n opportunities and exposure to risks. As compared with controls, adol escents who were cut off from the social network exhibited clear-cut d ifferences regarding their history, their current health problems, and most notably their psychological and behavioral characteristics. ''Br eaking away'' from society is not only the most dangerous consequence of these difficulties, but also amplifies them to a substantial extent . These situations should be identified and if at all possible, antici pated. Professionals should work together both within and outside conv entional health care structures.