Helping Parents in Developing Countries Improve Adolescents’ Health

In 2005, CAH and the Department of Population and Family Health of Johns Hopkins University undertook a literature review to capture recent research on parenting of adolescents in developing countries and in particular to examine the evidence for specific parenting roles that programmes could aim to promote and improve. Given the importance of parents in adolescents’ worlds, what are the specific ways that they influence adolescent health? In addition, how can we translate that knowledge into actions? WHO convened a meeting in October with researchers and representatives from some projects currently under way in developing countries. A summary of the discussions in the meeting is available in a document entitled Helping parents in developing countries improve adolescents’ health which highlights the importance of parents in preventing adolescent health risk behaviours, the ways in which parents influence these behaviours, and their implications for programmes aiming to improve adolescent health.