Young Adulthood

Young individuals are frequently stereotyped as healthy and infrequent users of health care. Many young adults have significant difficulties navigating the healthcare system. Young people face difficulties transitioning from pediatric to adult health care providers and from the child to the adult behavioral health system. Some people struggle as they take control of their health care for the first time.

Young adulthood ranges from 19 to 44, and most people in this stage of life are more concerned with obtaining professional and interpersonal goals. They are constantly adjusting to the new pressures of working, dating, and settling in as a resident. The majority of them have many responsibilities, including employment, marriage, and kid rearing (Age Specific Care: Adults, 2012). They may no longer have close friends and loved ones to lean on for emotional support or to be honest and respect their particular values. In the event of illness or disability, young adults dread losing their independence, being separated from their spouses and children, and losing their jobs. Young people must make decisions about their treatment and care. They may ignore or dismiss indicators of disease because they believe society expects them to be strong and self-reliant, which impacts how they engage with healthcare providers.

Young adults understand the new realities of family, job, and community commitments, how to fit inappropriate exercise and eating habits, and the need for rapid relaxation. They look into the effects of hospitalization or illness on a patient’s employment or family. Adults retain some of the sensitivity they felt as teenagers and are more likely to ignore or downplay sickness symptoms (Age Specific Care: Adults, 2012). Most couples are at their most fertile, and they require assistance in assessing their long-term commitment and the obstacles it entails. They are constantly adjusting and establishing a residence to help them acclimate to the new stress of job connections. Change management has become a significant concern.

Many young individuals struggle to understand the healthcare system. For young people, the transition from pediatric to adult health care professionals and from the child to the adult mental health system is difficult. For the first time, some young people struggle when they take charge of their own health care (DeVoe, 2009). Preventative counseling on important issues for their age group, such as smoking and mental health, is infrequent among young adults. Furthermore, no comprehensive bundle of preventive medical, behavioral, and oral health guidelines addressed specifically at this age group exists. They are also seen as healthy in hospitals, with lower healthcare utilization. A trip to the hospital can be devastating to both the patient and their families (White & McManus, 2015). Caregivers, in most cases, focus completely on family members’ medical care, and most may not give much thought to what will happen to them when they leave the hospital (Whiteman et al., 2010). After the patient is discharged, their care at home becomes critical to their health and well-being; however, they may find themselves neglected as they are supposed to take care of themselves.

In conclusion, regular checkups and vaccines are recommended for young adults. They should be encouraged to have a healthy lifestyle that includes proper eating, physical activity, and weight management. Long-term health risk issues such as heart disease and cancer must be understood. The doctor should talk to them about the aspects of their lives that are causing them stress. Healthcare workers can encourage early adults to make healthy fitness and healthcare choices because this could be a moment of great transition, such as marriage, starting new families, having children, and starting new occupations. Therefore, young adults should be treated with respect, non-judgmental, and supportive of their decisions.

References

Age Specific Care: Adults. (2012). [Video]. Retrieved 24 May 2022, from https://youtu.be/M0IapJp9jqY.

DeVoe, J. E., Wallace, L. S., & Fryer, G. E., Jr (2009). Patient age influences perceptions about health care communication. Family medicine, 41(2), 126–133.

White, P., & McManus, M. (2015). Investing in the Health and Well-Being of Young Adults. Journal Of Adolescent Health, 57(1), 126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2015.04.005

Whiteman, S., McHale, S., & Crouter, A. (2010). Family Relationships From Adolescence to Early Adulthood: Changes in the Family System Following Firstborns’ Leaving Home. Journal Of Research On Adolescence, 21(2), 461-474. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00683.x