adolescents

Group Leader - Professor George Patton

Dramatic improvements over recent decades in patterns of health and disease in younger children have not been matched in adolescents. In fact, many health problems such as mental disorders, chronic physical illness, substance abuse and eating disorders have become more prominent in adolescents.

In addition the unique biological and social changes that commence around puberty and continue into adolescence are now recognised as profoundly affecting patterns of later-life health.

The Adolescents Affinity Group brings together interdisciplinary collaborations spanning clinical research in adolescent health, neurobiology, genetics and population-based epidemiology, as well as forging external partnerships to promote our research and facilitate policy development in this area.

The Affinity Group drives the best use and resourcing of clinical and population based cohorts entering adolescence, promotes research initiatives in clinical and health service delivery for adolescents and their families and continues an engagement around national and global epidemiology.