health risks like drug use and STDs,” said researcher Kathleen Ethier, director of the Division of Adolescent and School Health at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Given the significant and long-lasting protective effects connectedness can have, it is important to take steps to increase this feeling of belonging at home and at school among youth,” Ethier said in a CDC news release.
“Our nation’s youth are experiencing several public health crises at once — including STDs, drug overdose, and suicide,” said Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of the CDC’s National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STDs, and TB Prevention.
“It is encouraging to know that connecting with teens in the home and classroom can lead to a healthier, happier life for years to come,” he added.
These findings suggest a connection between teens’ experiences and some of the
