Mortality among teenagers is rising. In the US due to drugs, in Africa due to infections

The world is facing a disturbing trend. Mortality among teenagers and young adults is on the rise, warn scientists in the study “Global Burden of Disease,” published in the journal Lancet. This is reported by the daily newspaper Guardian.

The researchers found that the most common causes of death in North America are suicide and drug use, while infectious diseases and accidents predominate in Africa. The latest data also show an increase in mental disorders, especially among young women, and a growing impact of non-communicable diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.

Despite the improvement in global life expectancy—76.3 years for women and 71.5 years for men, which is more than 20 years higher than in 1950—significant regional differences remain. These range from 83 years in industrialized countries to 62 years in sub-Saharan Africa.

Scientists point out that half of all cases of disease worldwide could be prevented if risk factors such as smoking, obesity, and air pollution were eliminated. The authors warn of the consequences of cuts in international aid and call on governments to increase investment in healthcare for young people.

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