Promoting physical, mental, and social health during adolescence: a position statement and recommendations
Adolescence is a critical period of physical, psychological, and social development that shapes health trajectories across the life course. Despite its importance, adolescent health remains insufficiently prioritized within healthcare systems, while young people face increasingly complex challenges, including mental health disorders, sexually transmitted infections, social inequalities, climate change, and the deep influence of digital technologies. Although technology offers unprecedented opportunities to improve access to health information and care, it also introduces new risks that require coordinated, evidence-based responses. This position statement and its accompanying recommendations draw on the proceedings of an international workshop held in Athens in November 2025, organized by the International Academy of Human Reproduction and endorsed by leading international scientific societies. The statement addresses the biological, psychological, social, and gynecological challenges affecting adolescents in an evolving technological landscape. Its recommendations emphasize adolescent-responsive health systems, meaningful youth engagement, equitable access to care, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Investing in adolescent health represents a strategic priority, generating immediate benefits during adolescence while improving adult health and promoting better outcomes for future generations.
Authors
- Lali Pkhaladze (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4690-9140)
- Anne‐Beatrice Kihara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7202-2079)
- Z Stankovich
- Inon I. Schenker
- Sarah L. Berga (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1885-0401)
- Abel López‐Bermejo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5828-8911)
- Anna Maria Fulghesu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8116-3968)
- Tiziana Fidecicchi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9191-6385)
- Άρτεμις Τσίτσικα (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8436-640X)
- Stefano Vincenzo Luisi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3602-0666)
- Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0637-599X)
- Charles Sultan
- Flora Bacopoulou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1001-0926)
- Alessandra D. Fisher (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3446-5132)
- Özlem Dural (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7475-9982)
- Andrea Ricardo Genazzani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4260-3929)
- Martin Hans Birkhaeuser
- George Panagiotis Chrousos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3098-5264)
- Metella Dei
- Silvia Vannuccini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5790-587X)
- Liselotte Mettler (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6333-5527)
- Alessandro David Genazzani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2828-5840)
- Peter A. Chedraui (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1556-3979)
- Tevfik Yoldemir (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6925-4154)
- Marisa J Labovsky (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5808-856X)
- Kyle E. Orwig (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7952-8419)
- Johannes Bitzer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7505-0684)
- Rossella Elena Nappi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1713-6396)
- Žana Bumbulienė (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5932-7265)
- Svetlana Vujović (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9353-5367)
- Błażej Męczekalski (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0761-5775)
- Efthimios Deligeoroglou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7327-493X)
- Marta Caretto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1157-9930)
- Mary Elizabeth Romano (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4932-0043)
- Christa E. Flück (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4568-5504)
- Joseph G. Schenker
- Shantha Kumari
- Mie S. Jorgensen
- Giancarlo Di Renzo
Institutions
- University of Pisa (IT)
- University of Bern (CH)
- Poznan University of Medical Sciences (PL)
- University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (IT)
- University of Copenhagen (DK)
- UNESCO (FR)
- Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna (IT)
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- University of Cagliari (IT)
- Vilnius University (LT)
- Sechenov University (RU)
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem (IL)
- Université de Montpellier (FR)
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (GR)
- Universidad de Buenos Aires (AR)
- Universitat de Girona (ES)
- University of Pavia (IT)
- Hadassah Medical Center (IL)
- Great Ormond Street Hospital (GB)
- University Hospital of Bern (CH)
- Hospital for Sick Children (CA)
- University Hospital of Basel (CH)
- Universidad Espíritu Santo (EC)
- University of Belgrade (RS)
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montpellier (FR)
- Magee-Womens Research Institute (US)
- Næstved Sygehus (DK)
- University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (DE)
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona (ES)
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi (IT)
- Euromedik (RS)
- Children's Hospital Agia Sophia (GR)
- International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (GB)
- Mitera Hospital (GR)
- Hôpital Arnaud de Villeneuve (FR)
- Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta (ES)
- Impact (CA)
- Midt- og Vestsjællands Hospital (DK)
- University of Florence (IT)
- University at Buffalo, State University of New York (US)
- Istanbul University (TR)
- Marmara University (TR)
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Gynecological Endocrinology
- Published
- 2026-11-10
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1080/09513590.2026.2758440
- Primary Topic
- Adolescent Health and Behaviors
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00