U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Increase the proportion of adolescents who have an adult they can talk to about serious problems — AH‑03

Status: Improving

  
Improving
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Most Recent Data:
77.9 percent (2023)

Target:
78.4 percent 1

Desired Direction:
Increase desired

Baseline:
74.2 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years had an adult in their lives with whom they could talk about serious problems in 2021 2

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Increase the proportion of adolescents who have an adult in their lives with whom they can talk about serious problems

Target-Setting Method
Percentage point improvement

Data Source:  National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), SAMHSA

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Summary

Adolescents who have an adult to confide in are less likely to take part in risky behaviors. Taking steps to prevent these behaviors is important because they’re linked to many chronic health problems later in life. Evidence shows that mentoring programs are an effective way to improve behavioral, social, emotional, and academic outcomes in adolescents.

Topics:  Adolescents , Child and Adolescent Development, Social and Community Context

Workgroup: Adolescent Health Workgroup

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1. Target has been revised. See Data Methodology and Measurement for more information.

2. Baseline has been revised. See Data Methodology and Measurement for more information.