Home > Information for doctors >Tutorials> TEENAGERS AND PRIMARY HEALTH CARE 'COMMON MYTHS'

Author Has Joshi

Last update 8/4/99

1. Adolescents are hard to understand and talk to.
2. No need to over medicalise the adolescent lives as they are a healthy group of practice population with low morbidity and mortality

"TEENAGERS REPORT MUCH GRAETER CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR HAELTH THAN MIGHT BE EXPECTED"

1. Problems in interpersonal relationships
2. Anxiety and nervousness
3. Respiratory problems- coughs and colds, Asthma, Hayfever
4. Skin problems-Acne, warts, Verrucae
5. Headaches
6. Accidents- most common being sports injuries
7. Depression
8. Sexuality- Contraception, Pregnancy
9. Weight problems
10. Smoking ,Alcohol and substance abuse

 Parents First Choice

 Friends Second choice

 Doctors Third choice

 Teachers Fourth choice

1. Confidentiality
2. Ability to telephone the practice without giving their names
3. Well written information designed specifically for them e.g. STD, Contraception, Nutrition, Acne, Weight problems and exercise

1. Teenagers usually consult their GPs on an average about2-3 times a year
2. Teenagers usually start making decisions about health care themselves at the age of 15.
3. GP's consulting time with teenagers tend to be shorter- GPs usually use these consultations to catch upon late surgeries
4. Good communication is usually difficult as teenagers find staff brisk and beurocratic
5. Less chance of a rapport due to poor understanding of special problems, language and subculture of teenagers

1. Characteristics of the practice population aged 10-18year old should be defined(local unemployment rate, number of single mothers and number of students)
2. Positive advertisements to 16 year olds on the practice list that they can register with a GP who is not the same as their parents', and everything they discuss with the practice members will be treated with absolute confidentiality
3. Details of specific services provided by the practice should be positively advertised e.g. emergency contraception-(easy access and discussion)
4. Involving teenagers in making the practice more user friendly e.g. their involvement on designing posters, leaflets and ordering magazines
5. Practice staff should be trained to be more responsive to teenagers' need and wants e.g.Teenagers should be able to ring practices for advice without giving their names and receive a friendly response
6. Information cards or leaflets about the practice should be available in a format that is orientated towards teenagers

1. Research indicates that teenagers are at atleast willing to enter into a health promotion contract to give up smoking
2. Personal benefit- Increasing personal satisfaction of dealing with a patient group more effectively
3. Training resources on teenage health may be better directed towards primary care than to hospital specialists in adolescent health
4. Realistic financial incentive for re-registering practice's 16 year olds

One should not forget that the most effective interventions in improving the health of teenagers are made by governments by

• Textbook of family medicine-Robert Rakel- 5^th edition,WB.Saunders
• Review of teenage health: time for a new direction-BJGP Sept94, 420-3
• Teenagers and their health- A.Mcfarlane et al-Archives of diseases of childhood 1987 62-1125-9
• Epstein R et al "Teen agers health concerns: Implications for primary healthcare professionals JRCGP 1989 39-247-249
• Primary healthcare and Adolescence BMJ- 311-825-826- 9/95