Female Adolescent Health Care Needs

The female adolescent health care needs that you study this week have implications far beyond the individual level. They also are issues that require action on state and national levels, where legislators, policy makers, and health care leaders must make decisions on resource allocation. This week you are asked to step into a health psychology professional’s shoes and examine issues related to female adolescents present in specific U.S. states, as well as in the nation.

To prepare for this Discussion, pretend that you have been asked to be on a committee examining the current health care needs of female adolescents in a particular state. If your last name begins with A–H, your assigned state is New York. If your last name begins with I–P, your assigned state is Arizona. If your last name begins with Q–Z, your assigned state is Oregon. Research your assigned state’s needs regarding female adolescents’ health issues on the Internet and in the Walden Library. Explore the cultural groups in the state and how female adolescent issues may differ among these groups.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 a description of the three health care needs that are most important for female adolescents in the state you were assigned. Justify, by percentage, how you would allocate resources for these needs (the percentage must add up to 100%). Then explain how the priority needs in the state you were assigned may be different from those nationally. Support your post with statistics and references.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Readings

• LeCroy, C. W. (2008). Adolescent girls and the pathway to adulthood. In C.W. LeCroy, & J. E. Mann (Eds.), Handbook of prevention and intervention programs for adolescent girls (pp. 2–9). doi: 10.1002/9781118269848.ch0

• Brown, L. M., & Tappan, M. B. (2008). Fighting like a girl fighting like a guy: Gender identity, ideology, and girls at early adolescence. New Directions for Child & Adolescent Development, 2008(120), 47–59. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

• Franko, D. L., Striegel-Moore, R. H., Bean, J., Tamer, R., Kraemer, H. C., Dohm, F., & Daniels, S. R. (2005). Psychosocial and health consequences of adolescent depression in black and white young adult women. Health Psychology, 24(6), 586–593.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

• Helgeson, V. S., Lopez, L. C., & Kamarck, T. (2009). Peer relationships and diabetes: Retrospective and ecological momentary assessment approaches. Health Psychology, 28(3), 273–282.
  Retrieved from the Walden library databases.

• Keleher, H., & Franklin, L. (2008). Changing gendered norms about women and girls at the level of household and community: A review of the evidence. Global Public Health, 3(Suppl. 1), 42–57.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

• Talpade, M., & Talpade, S. (2001). Early puberty in African-American girls: Nutrition past and present. Adolescence, 36(144), 789–795.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Media

• Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012). Adolescence. Baltimore, MD: Author.

  Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 6 minutes.