Adolescents as health agents and consumers: results of a pilot study of the health and health-related behaviors of adolescents living in a high-poverty urban neighborhood

"Treat Me Like a Normal Person!" A Meta-Ethnography of Adolescents' Expectations of Their Health Care Providers

PURPOSE

Preventive health care services provide an important opportunity to assist adolescents to establish and maintain a healthy lifestyle and assume an increasing independent role in their health care. National guidelines emphasize the importance of an annual wellness visit to identify and address risk-behaviors that contribute significantly to the morbidity and mortality in this population. Despite these recommendations, adolescents utilize preventive health care at declining rates throughout adolescence. The purpose of this study was to capture a more holistic view of what adolescents, as consumers of health care services, expect from their primary health care providers (HCPs).

METHOD

A metasynthesis of 12 qualitative research studies was conducted using Noblit and Hare's (1988) meta-ethnographic approach.

RESULTS

Five overarching metaphors, Talk with Me- Not at Me, Accept Me, Respect My Privacy and Confidentiality, Show Me You Are a Professional, and A Trusted Relationship described adolescents' expectations of their HCPs.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides a more holistic view of adolescents' expectations of their HCPs. Clinical strategies are suggested to assist HCPs to meet adolescents' expectations.

Adolescents’ health choices related rights, duties and responsibilities: An integrative review

Background:

Although the link between adolescents’ health choices in relation to rights, duties and responsibilities is acknowledged, little is studied in this subject.

Aim:

To identify, describe and synthesize previous studies on adolescents’ health choices in relation to rights, duties and responsibilities.

Ethical considerations:

Ethical approval is not needed as it is an integrative review of published literature.

Method:

The integrative review was used to review and synthesize current knowledge. Electronic and manual searches from 2009 to March 2014 were used to systematically identify earlier studies.

Results:

The review identified 13 studies. Adolescents’ health choices were linked to unsuccessfully exercised rights, arising from questioned autonomy and freedom, and their duties were hardly mentioned.

Conclusion:

Research into adolescents’ health choices in relation to their rights, duties and responsibilities is still methodologically fragmented. In future, more research is needed to support adolescents’ health promotion initiatives and increase their involvement opportunities.

Perceptions of oral health, preventive care, and care-seeking behaviors among rural adolescents

BACKGROUND

An asymmetrical oral disease burden is endured by certain population subgroups, particularly children and adolescents. Reducing oral health disparities requires understanding multiple oral health perspectives, including those of adolescents. This qualitative study explores oral health perceptions and dental care behaviors among rural adolescents.

METHODS

Semistructured individual interviews with 100 rural, minority, low socioeconomic status adolescents revealed their current perceptions of oral health and dental care access. Respondents age ranged from 12 to 18 years. The sample was 80% black and 52% male.

RESULTS

Perceived threat from dental disease was low. Adolescents perceived regular brushing and flossing as superseding the need for preventive care. Esthetic reasons were most often cited as reasons to seek dental care. Difficulties accessing dental care include finances, transportation, fear, issues with Medicaid coverage and parental responsibility. In general, adolescents and their parents are in need of information regarding the importance of preventive dental care.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings illuminate barriers to dental care faced by low-income rural adolescents and counter public perceptions of government-sponsored dental care programs as being "free" or without cost. The importance of improved oral health knowledge, better access to care, and school-based dental care is discussed.

Testing the transition preparation training program: A randomized controlled trial

The effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral program, Transition Preparation Training (TPT), in combination with spina bifida (SB) management was compared to adolescents with SB who received only SB management. Design, setting and participants: Prospective controlled trial with an ethnically diverse sample (94%) of 65 adolescents with SB (31 in treatment group [mean age: 16.19]; 34 in control group [mean age: 15.71]) conducted at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles between September 2006 and September 2008. INTERVENTIONS: TPT was a three-module, eight sessions program offered in a 2 day workshop format to facilitate development of health care transition plan. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Subjective well being as measured by the Personal Adjustment and Role Skills Scale (PARS III), Role mastery measured using Community Life Skills Scale (CLSS), and Self Care Practice with the Denyes Self-Care Practice Instrument (DSCPI-90©). RESULTS: No significant differences were found between groups of any treatment effect or treatment follow-up interaction. No substantial changes in the scores either between treatments of post treatments were found.