Improving adolescent sexual and reproductive health. A view from Australia: learning from world's best practice.

There is increasing awareness worldwide of the importance of sexual and reproductive health in adolescents. Australia's high rates of teenage pregnancy and increasing rates of sexually transmitted infections in young people reflect a failure to prioritise adolescent sexual and reproductive health on the public health agenda. This paper reviews adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Australia in comparison with international data, and examines the systemic, social and cultural factors that influence it. Based on comparisons with international best practice, recommendations are included for improvement in adolescent sexual and reproductive health within the Australian context.