Modern Pediatrics. Ukraine. (2025).5(149): 102-108. doi: 10.15574/SP.2025.5(149).102108
Danylenko H. M.¹, Strashok L. A.^1,2, Sydorenko T. P.¹, Romanenko L. V.³, Isakova M. Yu.^1,2, Zavelya E. M.^1,2, Vodolazhsky M. L.¹, Yeshchenko A. V.^1,2
1SI «Institute of Child and Adolescent Health Care of the NAMS of Ukraine», Kharkiv
²Kharkiv National Medical University, Ukraine
³National Children's Specialized Hospital «OKHMATDYT», Kyiv, Ukraine

For citation: Danylenko HM, Strashok LA, Sydorenko TP, Romanenko LV, Isakova MYu, Zavelya EM et al. (2025). Youth-friendly clinics – components of the strategy of adolescent health care during the war. Modern Pediatrics. Ukraine. 5(149): 102-108. doi: 10.15574/SP.2025.5(149).102108.
Article received: Jul 01, 2025. Accepted for publication: Sep 10, 2025.

Negative national and world trends in medical, psychological and social indicators of children’s health indicate the need to improve the system of organization of medical care for adolescents, especially in times of social crisis. During the period of military operations, the experience of Youth Friendly Clinics (YFC) in our country and abroad, taking into account the information materials of WHO and UNICEF on medical care for adolescents, is relevant for the development of strategies and tactics of health-saving technologies for adolescents in a humanitarian crisis.
Аim – is the analysis of the strategy and prospects for providing comprehensive medical and social services to adolescents in the world and in Ukraine in the context of a humanitarian crisis, based on a summary of the experience of the YFCs during military operations.
Analysis of WHO and UNICEF information materials on medical care for adolescents, domestic and foreign scientific publications, reports of the YFCs to the Department of organizational and methodological work and quality control of medical care provision of the State Non-Commercial Enterprise «National Children's Specialized Hospital «Okhmatdyt» of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine». As of January 01, 2024, there were 42 YFCs in Ukraine including 3 centers, 7 departments, and 32 offices. The total number of appeals in 2024 was 56435. Compared to the pre-war period (2018), the number of YFCs decreased threefold, with a corresponding decrease in the number of visits. The necessary medical and social assistance is provided by specially trained personnel. The frequency of visits for illnesses or consultations in peacetime and wartime has not changed (50/50), but the need for psychological assistance has increased by almost 1.5 times in the structure of visits, so in 2018 56% of adolescents received it, and in 2024 – 78%.
Conclusions. Providing medical, psychological and social assistance in YFCs remains a relevant global trend and an effective tool for medical and preventive measures to preserve the health of adolescents and young people. In crisis situations in society, it is advisable to use the principles of the "friendly approach", the experience of YFCs. This indicates the need to improve the system of organizing medical support for adolescents, taking into account the experience of YFCs.
No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.
Keywords: adolescents, medical and social assistance, «Youth Friendly Clinics».

REFERENCES

1. Balakirjeva OM, Bondar TV, Danylenko НM et al. (2019). Social determination and health indicators of adolescents and youth: based on the results of a sociological study within the framework of the international project «Health and behavioral orientations of schoolchildren». Kyiv: Folio: 130. URL: https://www.unicef.org/ukraine/media/921/file/Social%20conditionality%20and%20indicators%20of%20adolescent%20and%20youth%20health%20in%20Ukraine.pdf.

2. Bürgin D, Anagnostopoulos D, Board and Policy Division of ESCAP et al. (2022). Impact of war and forced displacement on children's mental health – multilevel, needs-oriented, and trauma-informed approaches. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 31: 845-853. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-022-01974-z; PMid:35286450 PMCid:PMC9209349

3. George A, Jacobs T, Ved R, Jacobs T, Rasanathan K, Zaidi SA. (2021, Mar). Adolescent health in the Sustainable Development Goal era: are we aligned for multisectoral action? BMJ Glob Health. 6(3): e004448. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2020-004448; PMid:33727279 PMCid:PMC7970238

4. Groenewald C, Isaacs N, Qoza P. (2023). Hope, agency, and adolescents' sexual and reproductive health: A mini review. Front Reprod Health. 17(5): 1007005. https://doi.org/10.3389/frph.2023.1007005; PMid:36874262 PMCid:PMC9982081

5. Irwin CE Jr. (2022). Improving Adolescent and Young Adult Health Through Evidence From Add Health. J Adolesc Health. 71(6): 660-661. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.09.010; PMid:36403990

6. Jansen D, Brenner M, Illy K et al. (2023). Leave no one behind: why WHO's regional office for Europe should prioritise children and adolescents in their program of work. A position statement from the European academy of paediatrics. Front. Pediatr. 11: 1184870. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2023.1184870; PMid:37388289 PMCid:PMC10301733

7. Jansen DEMC, Visser A, Vervoort JPM, van der Pol S, Kocken P, Reijneveld SA. (2018). Final report on the description of the various models of school health services andadolescent health services, including quality assessments and costs MOCHA-project' Modelsof Child Health Appraised (MOCHA). 2018. Commission Deliverable D17 (3.1). URL: https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/documents/downloadPublic?documentIds=080166e5bc4ace99&appId=PPGMS

8. Narla NP, Ratner L, Bastos FV, Owusu SA, Osei-Bonsu A, Russ CM. (2021, Apr 19). Paediatric to adult healthcare transition in resource-limited settings: a narrative review. BMJ Paediatr Open. 5(1): e001059. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjpo-2021-001059; PMid:33959687 PMCid:PMC8057560

9. Parkhomenko LK, Strashok LA, Glibova TO et al. (2014). Adolescent therapy: a textbook. Kharkiv: Fakt: 864.

10. Parkhomenko LK, Strashok LA, Zavelya EM et al. (2020). Adolescent Health on the Path of Healthcare Reform. Problems of continuing medical education and science. 1: 5-9. https://doi.org/10.31071/promedosvity2020.01.005

11. Park M, Budisavljević S, Alemán-Díaz AY et al. (2023). Child and adolescent health in Europe: Towards meeting the 2030 agenda. J Glob Health. 13: 04011. https://doi.org/10.7189/jogh.13.04011; PMid:36655877 PMCid:PMC9850873

12. Strashok LA, Romanenko LV, Sydorenko TP, Vodolazhskyi ML. (2023). The Youth Friendly Clinic is an effective model for providing medical and social assistance to adolescents and young people. Ukrainian interagency collection "Health Care for Children and Adolescents". 1-2: 101-105. doi: 10.53457/2023.2.10.

13. WHO. (2023). Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health (2016-2030). Report by the Director-General. Seventy-Sixth World Health Assembly. Provisional agenda item 12. A76/5. URL: https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA76/A76_5-en.pdf.