RIYADH: Health experts and specialists dealing with teenagers and adolescent physiology have stressed the need for comprehensive studies in order to understand their needs.

At the first conference of the Saudi Society for Adolescent Health (SSAH), they urged both society and parents to listen carefully to the young people’s aspirations and harness their energies for the benefit of society.

According to the experts and specialists, young people should be given integrated health care that includes attention to their psychological, behavioral and physical needs as well as chronic conditions.

The forum at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC) recently dealt with 10 scientific sessions on various topics related to adolescent health. It was opened by Dr. Qasim Al-Qasabi, executive supervisor general of the general organization at KFSHRC.

Al-Qasabi said raising awareness of issues that affect this group of citizens will lead to a deeper understanding of their health needs on the part of parents, health care providers, specialists and decision-makers.

Thanks to the KFSHRC, he said they were behind the initiative for the establishment of the Saudi Society for the Health of Young People which has been in operation since February 2014.

“Since then, the organization has been active in the dissemination of information in all parts of the Kingdom to various parties associated with this social group,” he said.

“The association is committed to ensuring the highest standards of care. These will contribute to the development of cooperative efforts with local centers dealing with teenagers.

“Teenagers experience many changes — physical and psychological, social and emotional which affect them,” said Dr. Huda Kattan, pediatrics consultant at KFSHRC.

Kattan who is also the head of the association, attributed some of their problems to smoking, traffic accidents, and psychological problems, in addition to those associated with school.

According to her, adolescents may suffer from diabetes, obesity and asthma, bit in general they experience a low prevalence of health problems compared to other age groups.