July 9, 2025

We’re pleased to share the news that UHC-Affiliated Researchers at the Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health Co-Chaired and led a major study in the new Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing!

Alex Ezeh, PhD, Dornsife Professor of Global Health, co-chaired the Commission alongside Ali Groves, PhD, MHS, Associate Professor of Community Health and Prevention, and Dornsife alumna Luwam Gebrekristos, PhD, MPH, who were members of the Commission.

The Commission provides an evidence-based guide for stakeholders across sectors, now and into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) era. Building on the 2016 Lancet Commission on the subject, it:

“proposes an expanded conceptual framework for actions, defines an expanded set of indicators to ensure accountable action, and presents substantial original research that supports a wide range of specific cross-sectoral actions at global, regional, country, and local levels.”

Ali Groves spoke to us on the experience of being one of the commissioners, saying:

“As a commissioner, I was privileged to work alongside researchers of all ages and disciplines from across the globe. Our commission engaged youth and adolescents in meaningful ways throughout the process in order to elevate their lived experience and to collectively identify new solutions to the most pressing challenges facing adolescents globally. I hope our report will increase global investment in adolescent health; such investment is critical - not only for adolescents – but for our collective future."   

As outlined in its introduction, when this second Commission started its work in 2021, its goal was to focus on accelerating the implementation of the first Commission's recommendations towards SDGs and beyond, to realize the so-called “triple dividend” – benefits for young people today, the adults they will become, and the next generation they will parent.

However, it finds that current funding is insufficient, with adolescent health initiatives receiving only 2.4 percent of health development assistance in 2016–21. Moreover, as non-communicable diseases and mental health issues rise, prioritizing investment and cross-sector action is urgent to meet the unique needs of today’s youth.

As part of the report, Ali, Luwam and students at Dornsife conducted a mixed-methods study on Youth Advisory Councils (YACs) that was incorporated into the report. This study was the first to examine how YACs function globally in practice and identify key actions for meaningful youth engagement.

“Our findings highlight that meaningful youth engagement goes beyond representation, requiring organizations to integrate youth voices and expertise, streamline communication and feedback loops, and provide capacity-building opportunities and fair compensation. This study provides a roadmap for organizations seeking adolescents’ involvement and expertise in shaping research and policies that affect adolescent health and well-being.”

Read a deep dive into the Commission's findings from Alex Ezeh in his recent interview with The Conversation here.

Interested in learning more about the structural determinants of health, new opportunities for research, or recommendations for community action and policy? 

We're bringing together researchers, practitioners, and policy makers focused on health in cities this fall at our 2025 Urban Health Symposium to energize work on urban places and health, generate novel ideas for research, and stimulate debate on policy implications. 

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