Journal of Adolescent Health

Journal of Adolescent Health is a peer-reviewed medical journal focusing on adolescent and young adult health and medicine. It publishes original research, reviews, policy analyses, and clinical reports addressing biological, psychological, social, and public health aspects of adolescence. The journal serves clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and advocates connected with pediatric and adolescent care.

History

The journal was established in 1980 amid growing attention to adolescent health concerns tied to demographic shifts such as the post‑World War II baby boom and urbanization impacting New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and other major cities. Early contributors included investigators affiliated with institutions like Johns Hopkins University, Harvard University, University of California, San Francisco, Columbia University, and University of Michigan. The journal's development paralleled the formation and activities of professional organizations including the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization, and national agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Over decades it reflected shifts in public attention driven by events and movements such as the HIV/AIDS epidemic, policy initiatives like the Affordable Care Act, and global frameworks exemplified by the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals. Editors and editorial board members have included scholars associated with Stanford University, Yale University, University of Pennsylvania, University of California, Los Angeles, and University of Washington, fostering collaborations with entities like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Guttmacher Institute, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Scope and content

The journal covers clinical medicine and public health topics including adolescent sexual and reproductive health, mental health, substance use, chronic disease management, injury prevention, and health services research. It features original research, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, clinical guidelines, and policy commentaries intersecting with programs and institutions such as Planned Parenthood, American Psychological Association, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and international actors like UNICEF and the World Bank. Articles often address intersections with law and policy exemplified by cases and statutes from jurisdictions including United States Supreme Court, European Court of Human Rights, and national ministries of health in countries like United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India, and South Africa. The journal also publishes content relevant to school health partnerships involving institutions such as Teachers College, Columbia University, Harvard School of Public Health, University of Oxford, and community programs linked to organizations like Save the Children and Doctors Without Borders. Contributions have drawn on methodologies and datasets from projects affiliated with Framingham Heart Study, Add Health, National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, and multinational consortia collaborating with WHO Regional Office for Europe and PAHO.

Editorial and publication details

Published monthly by Elsevier on behalf of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, the journal's editorial operations have engaged editors from academic centers including Magee-Womens Research Institute, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Boston Children's Hospital, and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. The editorial board often includes members with links to funding agencies such as the National Science Foundation and international research councils like the Wellcome Trust and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The journal accepts submissions following standards promoted by bodies such as the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors and the Committee on Publication Ethics, and works with indexing services and publishing platforms analogous to those run by Elsevier, Springer Nature, and Wiley-Blackwell. Special issues have focused on topics coordinated with conferences held by organizations like the American Public Health Association, Society for Research in Child Development, and regional meetings in cities such as Geneva, Paris, Rome, and Bangkok.

Abstracting and indexing

The journal is included in major bibliographic and citation databases and platforms that aggregate medical and health literature, engaging with systems represented by PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase. Its content is discoverable through library consortia associated with institutions such as the Library of Congress, British Library, National Library of Medicine, and university libraries at Cambridge University, Oxford University, and University of Toronto. The journal's articles are integrated into evidence-synthesis platforms and guideline repositories used by organizations like National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and World Health Organization Guideline Review Committee.

Impact and reception

The journal has influenced clinical practice, public policy, and research priorities across settings in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Its citation metrics have been tracked by agencies and services including Clarivate Analytics, Elsevier Scopus Metrics, and bibliometric research emanating from centers such as Leiden University and Max Planck Society. Key articles have informed guidance from bodies like the American Academy of Pediatrics, Royal College of Physicians, Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, and governmental health ministries in countries such as United States Department of Health and Human Services and Public Health England. The journal has received commentary and critique in venues including academic outlets at The Lancet, JAMA, New England Journal of Medicine, BMJ, and policy analyses from think tanks such as the Kaiser Family Foundation and RAND Corporation. Its role in shaping dialogue on issues linked to adolescent rights and services has intersected with international advocacy by groups like Girls Not Brides and International Planned Parenthood Federation.

Category:Medical journals Category:Pediatrics journals