NAHM, Week 2: Translating adolescent health research and improving health literacy

Published May 2024

National Adolescent Health Month May 2023

Support and translate adolescent health research, and improve health information and health literacy

Each May, the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) celebrates National Adolescent Health Month™ (NAHM™). This annual observance emphasizes the importance of building on young people’s strengths and potential, encouraging meaningful youth engagement in adolescent health activities, and highlighting key topics in adolescent health.

Week two centers the conversation on supporting, translating, and disseminating research and improving young people’s access to health information and their health literacy.

Supporting, translating, and disseminating research and data on adolescent health and well-being is essential to advancing public health. Improving related policies, programs, and practices affects the entire research process, including funding, data collection and disseminating and implementing research findings. Involving young people in research and data collection, translation, and dissemination supports innovation and accessibility and promotes youth engagement and agency.

Access to health information and improved health literacy can empower young people to make informed decisions, advocate for themselves, and navigate complicated health care and human services (including services like health education, counseling, social work, and more). It will also help the caring adults in their lives provide informed guidance and support. Improved health literacy is critical to helping young people build the skills to find, process, and evaluate the vast amount of health content online.

While there is a lot of research on adolescents, there is still more to learn about their health, experiences, and the programs and supports that most benefit them in the near and long term. Youth-serving professionals, health care providers, and researchers can all work together to advance adolescent-focused research. Parents and caregivers can work directly with the young people in their lives to ensure they know how to find accurate health information.

Explore resources on how you can support, translate, and disseminate research

Explore resources on how you can improve health information and health literacy for adolescents

Register for Next Thursday’s Youth Dialogue

Join OPA next week on Thursday, May 23, 2024, 5:30-6:30 p.m. ET for a virtual youth dialogue featuring young people's perspectives on how to build communities that will help youth be healthy and thrive now and into the future. Hear directly from youth from across the country about what a youth-centered community means to them!

Have You Started Your Take Action Bingo Card Yet?

OPA’s Take Action Bingo card can help you demonstrate how you’re championing young people and prioritizing their health and well-being! Download the Bingo card, complete the listed activities, and collect a Bingo Superstar badge for getting three in a row or a Bingo Champion badge for filling out the whole card. Don’t forget to share your completed card and badge on social media.

The badges are intended for use only during May 2024. If you have any questions, please email opa@hhs.gov.

Participate in OPA’s Take Action Q&A!

The Take Action Q&A is a weekly opportunity to get involved by responding to a question posed on the OPA LinkedIn page. Questions will be posted on the remaining Wednesdays in May. These questions will be related to the NAHM theme for that week. We hope you will share your knowledge, ideas, and lived experiences with us!

Did you miss last week’s question? Answer it on OPA’s LinkedIn page!

The badges are intended for use only during May 2024. If you have any questions, please email opa@hhs.gov.

Share messages about National Adolescent Health Month

Please join us in celebrating NAHM by sharing our social media and newsletter messages during May. Don't forget to tag OPA on LinkedIn (HHS Office of Population Affairs) and X/Twitter (@HHSPopAffairs) and use the NAHM hashtags in your posts: #NationalAdolescentHealthMonth and #HealthyYouthNAHM.

Please read this trademarking guidance - PDF before using the NAHM logo, name, or acronym. For assistance, please contact: opa@hhs.gov.

X/Twitter/Threads:

For the second week of #NationalAdolescentHealthMonth, explore the impact adolescent health research can have on policies, programs, and practices and the importance of young people’s health literacy. @HHSPopAffairs #HealthyYouthNAHM https://opa.hhs.gov/nahm#week-two
Supporting, translating, and disseminating research and data on #AdolescentHealth is essential to advancing public health policies, programs, and practices and improving young people's well-being. @HHSPopAffairs #NationalAdolescentHealthMonth https://opa.hhs.gov/nahm#week-two
Access to health information and improved health literacy can empower young people to make informed decisions and navigate complicated systems. This #NationalAdolescentHealthMonth, join @HHSPopaffairs to learn how to better support young people. https://opa.hhs.gov/nahm#week-two

LinkedIn/Facebook:

Better data and research on adolescent health can yield more effective youth-centered policies, practices, and programs. Research is also a key source of health information. Access to health information and improved health literacy can empower young people to make informed decisions, advocate for themselves, and navigate complicated health care and human services. Join the HHS Office of Population Affairs (OPA) during National Adolescent Health Month™ (NAHM™) to learn how you can support, translate, and disseminate research. https://opa.hhs.gov/nahm#week-two
There is still more to learn about young people’s health, experiences, and the programs and supports that benefit them most. Youth-serving professionals, health care providers, researchers, parents, and caregivers all have vital roles in ensuring young people access and understand the information they need to make informed decisions about their health. Join the HHS Office of Population Affairs (OPA) during National Adolescent Health Month™ (NAHM™) to learn how you can improve health information and health literacy for adolescents. https://opa.hhs.gov/nahm#week-two

Newsletter:

Ensure access to safe, supportive care, spaces, & services for adolescents during NAHM

Better data and research on adolescent health can yield more effective youth-centered policies, practices, and programs. They also promote youth engagement and agency and health literacy by equipping young people with the health information they need to make informed decisions, advocate for themselves, and navigate complicated health care and human services. Youth-serving professionals, health care providers, and researchers can all work together to advance the research. Parents and caregivers can work directly with the young people in their lives to ensure they understand and know how to find accurate health information. During National Adolescent Health Month™ (NAHM™), join the HHS Office of Population Affairs in supporting adolescent health research and improving health literacy.

Sharable NAHM Graphics:

National Adolescent Health Month™, NAHM™, and the NAHM logo are trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Use of these marks without prior approval by HHS is strictly prohibited.