Overview

About 1.3 billion of the world’s population are adolescents, defined as those aged 10-19 years. Adolescents bear long periods of exposure to, and consequences of health risks yet are often least able to influence their environment and make decisions for their own well-being.

Historically, the world has lacked comprehensive indicators for adolescent health, which has hindered the effective development of age-specific policies and interventions and tracking of progress towards health targets.

This document presents a list of 47 indicators recommended by the Global Action for Measurement of Adolescent health (GAMA), established in 2018 by WHO in collaboration with UNAIDS, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women, the World Bank Group, and the World Food Programme.

The 47 adolescent health indicators are the result of a structured, participatory 5-year selection process. They are applicable to all adolescent population subgroups and span six domains: (1) programmes, policies and laws, (2) systems performance and interventions, (3) social, cultural, economic, educational, and environmental health determinants, (4) health behaviours and risks, (5) subjective well-being and (6) health outcomes and conditions.

Most countries already have data for many of these indicators available. Bringing this information together will help benchmark progress, identify priorities for action, and allocate resources efficiently. By prioritizing adolescent health, young individuals are empowered to reach their full potential, and contribute to building healthier and sustainable communities and societies.