The Health of adolescents : understanding and facilitating biological, behavioral, and social development /

This lengthy overview of health problems among adolescents in today's society is more comprehensive in scope than most works on the topic. However, the section on adolescent pregnancy appears limited to a few studies. The text is divided into five parts: normal adolescent development; family, social, economic, and educational precursors to adolescent health problems, specific health-related problems; obstacles to health-care access among adolescents; and improving the health of adolescents. Each chapter contains recommendations for future action and a bibliography, and the volume includes numerous tables and figures. Contributors represent various backgrounds including adolescent medicine, health policy and administration, education, social work, and consumer marketing, and many have authored publications on topics related to adolescence. This book is published for the American Medical Association; thus, the role of the physician is most explicitly presented. However, it is useful reading for all professionals working with adolescents and a worthwhile reference for upper-division and graduate students in the health sciences, education, and social work. -M. Auterman, Augustana College (SD)