Sixty percent of Mexican American children ages 5-17 have untreated tooth decay in their permanent teeth, compared with 16 percent of white children and 39 percent of African American children. Children's dental utilization rates are relatively low and also vary by race. About 11 percent, or 4 million children and youth, suffer from a major mental illness that results in significant impairments at home, at school and with peers. Many young people with a diagnosable mental disorder do not receive any mental health services. A 1986 report by the U.S. Office of Technology Assessment that found that about 70 percent of children and adolescents in need of treatment did not receive mental health services.
Risky behaviors are pervasive among all groups of adolescents.
Racial disparities in the prevalence of certain behaviors suggest areas for particular intervention.