Life in a time of uncertainty: Optimising the health and wellbeing of young Australians

Richard M. Eckersley*, Ani Wierenga, Johanna Wyn

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

    15 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    • Perceptions of young people's health and wellbeing vary greatly, reflecting differences between disciplines, ideologies and generations. Young people are resilient, adaptable and doing well but, at the same time, are experiencing increased rates of important mental and physical health problems. • While some of the contradictions in the evidence can be explained - for example, between measures of life satisfaction and happiness and indicators of psychosocial health - tensions between perspectives remain. • We describe briefly a project involving cross-disciplinary synthesis that sought to gain a better understanding of the points of convergence and divergence in the commentaries and evidence on young people's wellbeing in Australia. • The project suggests that, if young people's situation is to be optimised, there needs to be greater focus in both research and policy on: ? the "big picture" of the social changes reshaping life today; ? total health and wellbeing, not just ill health; ? the "mainstream" of youth, not only those young people who are marginalised and at-risk; and ? social and cultural resources that are as important to wellbeing as material and economic resources.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)402-404
    Number of pages3
    JournalMedical Journal of Australia
    Volume183
    Issue number8
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 17 Oct 2005

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