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Dear Editor,
The research publication entitled “Developing an Educational Resource Aimed at Improving Adolescent Digital Health Literacy: Using Co-Design as Research Methodology” [
Of all studies involving individuals aged 12-18 years, less than 1% reported using youth advice, and barriers to youth participation included limited researcher understanding, lack of resources, and organizational challenges [
Research on our youth should ultimately be conducted by our youth, but more importantly, with our youth. Adolescents should not be arbitrarily labeled as mere resources for data but rather included in a detailed and thorough knowledge generation apparatus, including both study design and program implementation [
In traditional frameworks, adolescents are often regarded as passive subjects, with their needs, preferences, and involvement dictated by researchers, funders, or institutional mandates. But when youth are positioned as equals, the collaboration becomes more genuine, and the resulting health tools are more likely to meet their evolving demands. This shift is critical, particularly in digital health, where trends, technologies, and social norms change constantly, and youth are often the most proficient at staying ahead of these shifts. Thus, interventions, when co-designed with the very individuals they seek to serve, will be inherently more attuned to their preferences, technological fluency, and social contexts, thereby maximizing their potential for adoption, use, and sustainable impact. A radical restructuring of adolescent research involvement is long overdue, and we must redefine the processes by which youth health and knowledge are generated, validated, and disseminated to not just meet but anticipate their needs and realities.
AY wrote, edited, revised, and reviewed this manuscript.
None declared.