The history of the Center for Studies on Adolescent Health at the State University of Rio de Janeiro (Nesa/Uerj) began in the 1970s. An adolescent admitted to the general surgery department of the Pedro Ernesto University Hospital (Hospital das Clínicas da Uerj – HC/Uerj), part of the Uerj School of Medical Sciences, in the post-operative period of splenectomy, presented a sudden onset of psychomotor agitation and deliberate resistance to the actions of the health team.

This case, as well as others involving adolescents, drew the attention of a group of professionals and students at the Uerj School of Medicine to the need for differentiated care for hospitalized adolescents.

In 1974, the School of Medical Sciences and the Pedro Ernesto University Hospital set aside two wards specifically for the treatment of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 20, thus creating the Adolescent Clinical Unit (UCA) at HC/Uerj, with an innovative, pioneering and idealistic team, with concepts of multidisciplinary and comprehensive care for adolescent health.

These concepts guided the growth of a service built step by step, based on the ideal of a qualitatively differentiated care network integrated with the various sectors of society.

The innovative ideas of the members of this team and the constant search for new partnerships within and outside the university (government agencies, national and international funding agencies) allowed the development of projects in the areas of research, teaching and care for adolescent health, with the consequent expansion of the service’s scope.

In 1995, UERJ, through the University Council, made this development official by creating the Center for Studies on Adolescent Health (Nesa), with the mission of developing not only the area of ​​healthcare, but also consolidating itself in the areas of teaching (undergraduate and graduate), research and extension. Nesa is a national and international reference center in the training of health professionals for the integrated care of adolescents.

In 2003, we inaugurated the postgraduate program in medical sciences stricto sensu (master’s and doctorate) of the School of Medical Sciences of UERJ in the area of ​​adolescent medicine, and new paths were opened through partnerships with private companies that, aware of the need for their contribution to the development of a healthier society, share with us the same rules of professionalism and ethics.

Publishing a scientific journal is a great responsibility and a new challenge that Nesa is taking on. Adolescence and Health , the result of a partnership with the Farmoquímica laboratory, is extremely important for Nesa’s integration with other sectors of the scientific community.

The magazine will allow the circulation and dissemination of not only our knowledge and experiences, but also those of all professionals who work with adolescents and who want to join us on this long journey to ensure that adolescents in our country have a healthy life.

This is a time for celebration. We would like to share it with all those who have contributed to this journey of more than 30 years and dedicate this work to our adolescents.