Moldovan youth are more vulnerable than their peers from other countries, study

Moldovan youth are more vulnerable to drugs, alcohol and teen abortions than their peers from European countries. These are the conclusions of 4 national studies, presented on Tuesday by UNICEF Moldova and the Ministry of Youth and Sport, Info-Prim Neo reports. The most frequent problems are smoking, alcohol abuse, drugs, early sexual relations and, consequently, STDs, including HIV. One in 2 Moldovan young men started smoking before the age of 10 and one-third of those aged between 13 and 24 years continue to smoke. 80% of youth drink alcohol. The average age of the first sexual experience is 16 years. This year, over 30 girls aged under 18 have become mothers. The authors of this study stress that the rate of mental health disorders in Moldova is higher than in EU countries. Most of them are caused by family conflicts, divorces, parents leaving abroad and problems at school. Alexandru Stratulat, UNICEF project coordinator, says that although the healthcare system has improved, it still fails to meet youth's needs. They avoid seeing the doctor because they don’t have money and don’t trust the doctors. Stratulat has mentioned that another important problem is the access to education and its quality. One in 5 youths between 18 and 24 years of age, mostly those from the countryside, hasn’t attended any kind of educational system. The unemployment rate of young people is higher than that of adults. Sandrine Blanchet, deputy representative of the UN Children’s Fund in Moldova, says that it is important to teach the youth habits and knowledge that will protect them against threats like smoking, drugs and alcohol. The information was selected from 4 national studies: “Youth in Moldova”, “The Analysis of Youth in Moldova”, “The Report on Adolescents’ Health and Development” and “The Evaluation of HIV Risks among Vulnerable Youth”. The studies were developed between 2008 and 2009.