Chapter 4. Children's and Young People's Health

Abstract

E Children and young people in Sweden judge their more police noti® cations. The frequency of sexual outrage appears not to have decreased. At the same health and quality of life as very good and generally time childrenreport thatthey are exposedto violence better than in other countries in Europe. and bullying to a large extent during their free time E Girls judge their quality of life as worse than boys and in school. do during the last part of the comprehensive school. E Swedish children are becoming heavier, chiey E More 15-year-old Swedes have psychosomatic and because of an increasingly sedentary life. This stress-related symptoms than in the middle of the increases the risk of both adult diabetes and cardio- 1980s. Girls report more symptoms than boys do. vascular disease. E Long-term illness probably increased during the E Children are complaining strongly about the phys- 1990s almost entirely because of increased allergic ical environment at their workplaces ± i.e. school. problems. This concerns primarily high noise levels, poor air E The incidence of juvenile diabetes increased by 2.2% and unpleasant toilets. per year during the 1990s and even more among children under 10 years of age. The cause is unclear In this chapter children's and young peoples health is but runs parallel with increased welfare. treated with special reference to developments during E A socially-conditioned inequality in health exists the 1990s. By children and young people is meant among Swedish children but it is uncertain whether generally the age range 0± 19 years. At the turn of the this increased during the 1990s despite the country's millennium about 2.2 million persons in Sweden or economic decline and increased unemployment, 24% of the population were of these ages. which aVected mainly young people and families Certain risk behaviour is clearest, and deaths from with small children. injuries are most common, during the years when E It is estimated that around 1.5% of all children have