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ABSTRACT Young people are often the intended audience for health and social programs, yet they rarely participate in the decision-making processes that determine how these programs are designed, implemented, or evaluated. Failing to meaningfully engage young people, well-intended adults may miss opportunities to create relevant and effective programs and policies for youth. This article describes a youth-led health assessment conducted with researchers from an academic medical center accountable care organization and stakeholders from a local community center. We explain the process of recruiting and engaging youth in this project, along with health concerns they identified in their communities via a survey, including mental and sexual health, food access, and community safety, as well as recommendations the youth researchers developed for improving health and tackling inequities. Our findings show that youth participation fosters a deeper sense of empowerment and leadership potential. Policy makers and other health leaders should consider engaging young people as they make decisions about health care delivery.
The need for health care delivery models tailored to the needs and priorities of young people has been well documented.1'2 Adolescence is a critical developmental period, and health behaviors established during this time can either protect young people or put them at heightened risk for myriad chronic conditions.3'4 Research shows that poorly executed or abrupt transitions from pediatric to adult care can reduce health care participation in the long term.5 Thus, there is a clear and imminent need for meaningful strategies to engage young people in health care delivery settings. Now, as hospitals and health care systems actively transition to accountable care organizations (ACOs), collaborating more with community-based organizations and emphasizing patient engagement, they must also pay close attention to an overlooked community stakeholder: youth.
Although youth engagement presents a promising practice for ACOs and health care delivery organizations broadly, young people are rarely invited to participate in decision making related to the design, implementation, or evaluation of programs intended to improve their health and well-being. Research has identified adultism- prejudice or discrimination against young adults as a group-as a key barrier that has reproduced deficit-based stereotypes, limiting opportunities for young people to exercise social power and participation in society.6 In failing to meaningfully engage young people, well-intended adults may miss opportunities to create relevant...