There are 11.7 million young people aged 10-24 in the UK â one in five ... Rates of smoking, drinking and drug use in this age group have all fallen over recent ...
HIGHLIGHTS:
KEY DATA
ON YOUNG PEOPLE
2017
Latest information and statistics
Funded by
Ann Hagell, Rakhee Shah, John Coleman
AYPH | Key Data on Young People 2017: Highlights
For the full version go to: www.ayph.org.uk/key-data-on-adolescence
For more information, graphs and data...
Young people in the UK
This booklet represents highlights from Key Data on Young People 2017. To access the full, free online interactive PDF go to www.ayph.org.uk/key-data-on-adolescence
The transition from childhood to adulthood is an important, fascinating period of life. Young people between the ages of 10 and 24 have particular patterns of health needs. Key Data on Young People (KDYP) is a unique, comprehensive data review of the state of young people’s health. It sets the scene for development of appropriate services for this age group so that they can be helped to reach their full potential.
The online version contains a much wider range of data, full references, and hyperlinks to allow you to access original sources and extra information including the data behind each chart. The full version of Key Data on Young People 2017 was produced with the support of the Health Foundation www.health.org.uk
In the new 2017 version we draw on publically available data looking at young people’s living circumstances, health behaviours and lifestyles, sexual health, physical health and longterm conditions, mental health and use of services. In this edition, we also devote a new chapter to data on inequalities in health outcomes for this age group. There are 11.7 million young people aged 10-24 in the UK – one in five of the population. More than 20% are from an ethnic minority.
11.7m
Published by the Association for Young People’s Health
young people in the UK aged between 10 and 24
© AYPH 2017 To cite please use: Association for Young People’s Health (2017) Highlights: Key Data on Young People 2017. London: Association for Young People’s Health Design: www.hrscreative.com Charity Number 1122400
One in five of the population is aged 15-24
The effects of poor health care in adolescence can last a lifetime
1
AYPH | Key Data on Young People 2017: Highlights
For the full version go to: www.ayph.org.uk/key-data-on-adolescence
Living circumstances Up to age 18 the majority of young people are living in families and are engaged in some kind of education, but this does not apply to everyone of this age, and some are in different situations. Nearly five million households contain at least one young person aged 10-19. Increasing proportions of young people live at home with their families into their early 20s. Significant numbers of young people live in families with very low income, or are registered homeless, looked after by the local authority, seeking asylum, or otherwise made vulnerable by their living circumstances.
2
1,032,520
young people aged 11-19 in the UK live in families receiving means tested child-related income supplements
Just over half of young people aged 16 achieve a level of educational qualification at school equal to five+ GCSE grades A*-C including English and maths. Rates vary for young people from different ethnic groups and those living in challenging situations such as in care or custody. Across the UK, the majority of the age group stay on in full time education until 18.
The rate of young people aged 16-18 not in education, employment or training (NEET) in the UK has been slowly decreasing since 2009 and stood at 6.5% in 2015. Beyond 18 the variety of young people’s experiences increase, with some continuing in education and the others moving into training and employment. A significant proportion spend some time unemployed. Two in five 17-20 year olds now go on into higher education, particularly to study a degree at university.
41%
of 17-20 year olds were in higher education in England 2014/15
In 2015 the UK had the fifth lowest unemployment rate amongst 15-24 year olds in Europe, accounting for 14.2% of the age group.
For those who are in employment there is a concern that they are disadvantaged by working practices such as zero hour contracts.
33%
33% of people on zero hours contracts are aged 16-24
3
AYPH | Key Data on Young People 2017: Highlights
For the full version go to: www.ayph.org.uk/key-data-on-adolescence
Health behaviours and lifestyle Many lifelong health behaviours are set in place during the second decade of life. Physical activity declines across adolescence, particularly for young women, and nutrition often falls short of national recommendations. Around one in five young people going to secondary school are obese.
Chart 3.21: Proportion of pupils who had used illegal drugs in the last year, by age and gender, England, 2001-2014 Percentage
Male age 11
50
Female age 11
45
Male age 15
40
Female age 15
35
5
30 25 20 15 10 5 14
13
20
11
10
12
20
20
20
09
08
07
06
20
20
20
20
04
03
02
05
20
20
20
20
20
01
0 20
4
By age 13-15, only 19% of boys and 7% of girls achieve one hour of exercise a day
Rates of smoking, drinking and drug use in this age group have all fallen over recent years which is good news. One in ten say they have drunk alcohol in the last week and even fewer say they are regular smokers – the lowest rates since the 1980s. Concern remains over a small group who do get drunk regularly. There are also concerns about use of new psychoactive substances. It is still the case that nearly all smoking starts before age 25.
Source: HSCIC (2015),Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use Among Young People in England in 2014
On average, teenagers consume 8 times the recommended daily sugar allowance
1 in 12
young people aged 11-18 eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day
One quarter of secondary school pupils say they do not get enough sleep and managing media and communication activities may be part of the problem. Widespread use of smart phones has opened up a world of swift, flexible communications bringing both challenges and opportunities.
A quarter of secondary school children report they do not get enough sleep
15%
of 15 year o lds have exper ienced cyberbully ing the past 2 m in onths
AYPH | Key Data on Young People 2017: Highlights
For the full version go to: www.ayph.org.uk/key-data-on-adolescence
Sexual health and identity Developing a sense of sexual identity is a key task of the transition to adulthood. Staying safe, healthy and happy through the process is important. The average age of first heterosexual intercourse is 16. In England, Wales and Scotland the under 19 conception rate has continued to fall year on year. In 2015 there were 20.8 conceptions per 1000 young women of this age in England, the lowest since 1969. However the UK still has a relatively high rate of births among 15-19 year olds compared with other countries.
6
Average age of first heterosexual intercourse
The number of live births to teenagers in Northern Ireland has fallen from 2,107 in 1984 to 839 in 2014
In England, Wales and Scotland the under 18 conception rate has continued to fall since the 1990s
Around 7% of young people say they have been pressurised to have sex against their will. Establishing rates of child sexual exploitation among teenagers is very difficult, but the average age when concerns are first raised has been estimated to be 12-15 years, and the majority of victims are girls. Primary care and community contraceptive services are important sources of information for young people aged 15-24, as is good quality sex and relationships education at school and discussions with parents.
6.9% of young people aged 16-24 say they have been pressurised into sex
Chart 4.5: Proportion of young people in contact with reproductive health services, by age, England 2015/2016 Percentage
The highest rates of sexually transmitted infections are among those aged 15-24 (particularly Chlamydia), and continued testing is vital for this age group.
Young men
40
Young women
35 30
Note: A person contacting a service multiple times during the year will only be counted once. Age is based on person’s first contact in the year.
25 20 15 10 5
Young people account for significant proportions of new STI diagnoses 15-24
All other ages
62%
Chlamydia
38%
50%
Gonorrhoea
50%
49%
Genital Warts
51%
42%
Genital Herpes
58%
0
Under 16
16-17
18-19
20-24
Age
Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre. NHS Digital. Statistics on Sexual and Reproductive Health Services England 2015/2016
7
AYPH | Key Data on Young People 2017: Highlights
For the full version go to: www.ayph.org.uk/key-data-on-adolescence
Physical health and longterm conditions Although the years 10-24 tend to be a time of good physical health, young people do experience a range of short-term physical health problems. One in five report that they have a longterm illness or disability, and 1 in 10 have a condition that affects their ability to do normal daily activities. As well as physical health problems, a significant proportion of the age group have learning disabilities. 8
The Health survey for England has shown that among those aged 16-24, 14% of young men and 25% of young women reported taking at least one type of prescribed medicine in the previous week.
Those aged
Peak age for diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes is between 10 and 14 years Source: Diabetes UK (2016)
10%
of young people 10-24 have a disability that affects their ability to do normal daily activities
are the group most likely to be diagnosed with asthma
31,500 children and young people under the age of 19 in the UK have diabetes Source: Diabetes UK (2016)
The teenage years are a risk period for identification of a range of longterm conditions including Type 1 diabetes and asthma. Cancer is rare in young people, but it is one of the leading causes of death for those in their teens and early 20s. Rates of diagnosis have increased in this age group since the 1990s, but mortality has fallen. Other leading causes of death in those aged 10-24 include injuries and self-harm.
2,400 young people age 15-24 are diagnosed with cancer every year in the UK
External causes of mortality (injuries and intentional self-harm) are the most common cause of death in those aged 10-24
2,477 young people aged 10-24 died in 2015
9
AYPH | Key Data on Young People 2017: Highlights
For the full version go to: www.ayph.org.uk/key-data-on-adolescence
Wellbeing and mental health On average, three quarters of young people rate their life satisfaction as ‘high’ or ‘very high’. However mental health problems are common in young people. Half of all lifetime psychiatric disorders start by age 14 and three quarters before the early 20s. Disorders most frequent in the teenage years include anxiety and depression, eating disorders, conduct disorder (serious antisocial behaviour), attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and self-harm.
Self-harm is a key part of the picture of mental health for young people. Around a quarter to a third of young women report self-harming between the ages 15-24. Since 2007, both self-reported and hospital recorded self-harm show rises.
Since 2007 both self-reported and hospital recorded self harm show rises
By the age 16-24, one in six young people have a common mental health problem. For this age group, problems are three times more frequent in young women than young men. A quarter of young women 16-24 show symptoms of depression or anxiety. 10
11
Between 1/4 and 1/3 young women report self-harming between the ages 15-24 On average, three quarters of young people rate their life satisfaction as ‘high’ or ‘very high’
¾ of mental health problems start before the early 20s
A quarter of young women age 16-24 show symptoms of depression or anxiety
Among 16-24 year olds, common mental disorders are three times more frequent in young women than men
Suicide rates are higher for young men than young women Suicide is rare in young people, but rates are higher for young men than young women. Among those aged 15-19, suicide rates in 2015 were 3.1 per 100,000 for young women and 8.3 per 100,000 for young men.
AYPH | Key Data on Young People 2017: Highlights
For the full version go to: www.ayph.org.uk/key-data-on-adolescence
Health promotion and use of health services Meeting young people’s health needs and promoting good outcomes involves a range of services from community based health promotion through to NHS inpatient care. Young people are more frequent users of health services than is sometimes thought. Half of Year 10 pupils (aged 14-15) report that they have visited the GP within the previous three months. Over a third of young people aged 15-19 visit A and E during an average year.
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Half of year 10 pupils (aged 14-15) report that they have visited the GP in the last three months (48% boys, 54% girls)
However, young people have mixed experiences of healthcare and generally report lower rates of satisfaction than other age groups. More than 1 in 5 secondary school aged girls reported feeling ‘quite uneasy’ or ‘very uneasy’ with the doctor on the last visit. Only approximately 1 in 10 of those admitted to hospital are treated on teenage/adolescent wards. Developing more youth-friendly health services is a priority.
Child and adolescent mental health Of 1000 young people services are under particular pressure. under 18, 24 will have Of 1000 young people under 18, a referral to child and approximately 100 will have mental adolescent mental health problems. But only 24 will have a health services referral to child and adolescent mental (Tiers 2 and 3) health services (Tiers 2 and 3), and only 18 will be accepted for treatment. Source: NHS England (2016) Across England as a whole, there are only 1,600 inpatient beds for young people with mental health disorders such as anorexia or depression. Although admissions to A and E departments have risen for those under 19 in recent years, this mainly relates to those under 5, rather than teenagers. However young people remain frequent visitors, with approximately a third of 15-19 year olds going to A and E each year.
A&E attendances for 15-19 year olds have been steady in recent years
13
AYPH | Key Data on Young People 2017: Highlights
For the full version go to: www.ayph.org.uk/key-data-on-adolescence
Inequalities in health outcomes Health inequalities happen across the whole life course, but there has been less attention on the social determinants of health for young people as distinct from other age groups. Without equal access to resources and support, some young people are at a major disadvantage. A quarter of young people aged 11-19 live in households with the lowest income in the population. Over a million live in households where the family income is being supplemented by the state. Economic deprivation is linked to a number of inequalities in health outcomes for of young people aged 11-19 live in households young people. 10-14 year old with the lowest income pedestrians living in the most (bottom quintile) deprived areas are 3.7 times more likely to be killed or Source: Department for Work and Pensions (2016) Households Below Average Income 2002-2015 seriously injured on the roads. Young people in deprived areas are more likely to experience obesity. They are twice as likely to report that they smoke regularly. Young people in deprived areas are more likely than other young people to be admitted to hospital with asthma. Those living in the lowest income families are 4.5 times more likely to experience severe mental health problems than those from the highest income families.
26%
14
Young women in situations of income deprivation are more likely to contract sexually transmitted infections, use emergency contraceptives, and become pregnant under 16.
Some particular groups of young people face additional disadvantage from their living situations and personal circumstances. These include those in the care of the Local Authority, those who are young carers looking after others, those from certain black and minority ethnic groups, those with learning disabilities, those from certain sexual or gender identity groups, or those who have experienced a number of adverse childhood experiences. Inequalities in this age group build on each other and overlap. Multiple deprivation affects a range of different health outcomes, not just one.
26%
of young people aged 11-19 live in households with the lowest incomes
15
Young adults with four+ adverse life experiences are more frequent users of health services than their peers
10-14 year old pedestrians living in deprived areas are 3.7x more likely to be killed or seriously injured on the roads
Definitions
Adolescence
10-19 years
Young people
10-24 years
Youth
15-24
To find out more and download the full version of Key Data on Adolescence 2017 and other resources visit our website: www.ayph.org.uk Follow us:
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