State of the Georgia Girl Report

Lifelong Health Conditions While all young people must learn to care for their bodies through healthy eating habits, physical activity, and good sleep habits, a growing number of girls in Georgia will also need to manage lifelong health conditions. Two out of every five girls in Georgia are reported to be living with a lifelong health condition , according to their parents. While girls are less likely than boys to be diagnosed with a lifelong health condition, diagnoses are increasing, driven by rises in new cases of ADHD, autism, asthma, and prediabetes. Several contributing factors explain the lower diagnoses rate between girls and boys and the increases in diagnoses over the past five years. The advancement of medical testing and diagnostic criteria is illuminating conditions that were once under-reported for girls. A rise in females diagnosed with cognitive differences and behavioral conditions is widely explained by increased awareness, as well as a deeper understanding in the symptoms uniquely displayed by girls (Qin, 2024).

Two out of five girls in Georgia are reported to be living with a lifelong health condition. U.S. Census, National Survey of Children’s Health, 2022-2023, Indicator 1.9, Georgia.

At the individual level, researchers have long studied the impacts of living with a lifelong health condition; recently, attention turned to the experience of youth receiving a diagnosis. The key finding: it’s disruptive. As girls learn they have a lifelong health condition, they are likely to experience identity challenges, disruptions to their relationships, and struggle with an altered view of their future (Kirk & Hinton, 2019). For adults supporting girls, the implication is clear: it is important to help girls understand their conditions, but it is equally important to help them process the experience of having a condition in the first place.

Safe Spaces GIRL SCOUT IMPACT

When girls experience life’s challenges - small bumps or significant traumas - research shows one of the most important layers of support is the reassurance that comes from a community who cares. In Girl Scouts, this sense of belonging is built through intentional programs promoting sisterhood and wellbeing.

92% of Girl Scouts in Georgia feel girls in their troop genuinely care about each other.

POWERED BY THE GIRL SCOUT COUNCILS SERVING THE STATE OF GEORGIA 27