The aim of the study was an attempt to evaluate the state of health ofadolescents aged 15 years, living in Podlasie region near the border of Poland and Bielorus. Data fromthe Schoolchild Development and Health Investigation Charts covering 197 rural and 208 urban adolescentswere analyzed. The significance of differences between the two populations were tested by Chi 2 testat the level of p > 0.05. The study showed that nearly 60% of rural and 70% of urban schoolchildren havehealth problems. The most common of these problems are associated with the body posture. The data onself-reported health indicated that the most often observed complaints in both populations (rural andurban) of adolescents were: headaches, difficulties with falling asleep and lack of appetite. In spiteof the high incidence of health problems, the number of schoolchildren being attended by medical specialistsin outpatient departments is relatively small, to the disadvantage of the rural population. The laryngologyand ophthalmology departments were visited most frequently. The analysis of the results of the studiesconfirmed that the state of health of the children examined is unsatisfactory. An effective preventionof these negative phenomena requires the creation of efficient systemic mechanisms on the one hand, andon the other, a constant monitoring of objective and self-reported health.