This paper aims to analyze the approach and concept of "adolescent" and "youth" commonly found in health-related official documents published by the Brazilian Ministry of Health, as well as the organization of the approach to health proposed for these subjects. Furthermore, an attempt was made to contrast, compare and relate the official documents with the experiments and research taken from selected publications, trying to propose strategies for the improvement of present health policies. The approach was explorative, descriptive and document-based, and the study was carried out through the review of official documents published by the Brazilian Ministry of Health and of papers available in previously selected scientific publications. The data were discussed, by means of the analysis of the contents and the structuring of three analytical categories, considering: the concept of adolescence and youth, the perspective of public policies for the youth and the analysis of the health-disease process in youth contrasted with health practices. The conclusion was that the health sector's approach is centered on the concept of adolescence under a perspective of risk, with little regard to youth, and that fact is reflected upon structured public policies. All the health-related publications analyzed clearly show the fragmented comprehension of the health-disease process, with little regard to an integral approach to the health of the youth. The evidences of this study point to the need of integrating health with other youth-oriented policies, maintaining the dialog with the youth-related academic production for the improvement of the measures aimed at that population and the incorporation of such references in the field of health.
public policies; adolescence; youth; health-disease process; adolescent health; nursing