Purpose: To assess primary care providers’ rates of screening for emotional distress among adolescent patients.
Methods: Secondary data analysis utilizing data from: (1) well visits in pediatric clinics within a managed care plan in California, and (2) the 2003 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), a state population sample. The Pediatric clinic sample included 1089 adolescent patients, ages 13 to 17, who completed a survey about provider screening immediately upon exiting a well visit. The CHIS sample included 899 adolescents, ages 13 to 17, who had a routine physical exam within the past 3 months. As part of the survey, adolescents answered a question about whether they had talked with their provider about their emotions at the time of the exam. Logistic regressions, controlling for age, gender, race/ ethnicity, and adolescent depressive symptoms were performed.
Results: About one-third of adolescents reported a discussion of emotional health. Females were significantly more likely to be screened than males (36% vs. 30% in clinic; 37% vs. 26% in CHIS); as were older and Latino adolescents in the clinic sample. Although 27% of teens endorsed emotional distress, distress was not a significant predictor of talking to a provider about emotions.
Conclusions: Primary care clinicians/systems need to better utilize the primary care visit to screen adolescents for emotional health.
TOPIC(S)
Adolescents, Clinical Preventive Services, Health Care, Mental Health
DATE POSTED
September 12, 2009
AUTHOR(S)
Elizabeth M. Ozer, Ph.D; Elaine G. Zahnd, Ph.D.; Sally H. Adams, Ph.D.; Sheila R. Husting, B.A.; Charles J. Wibbelsman, M.D.; Kim P. Norman, M.D.; and Susan M. Smiga, M.D
MORE NEWS AND ARTICLES BY SIMILAR TOPIC(S)
Highlights and Hazards: What Do the Current Health Care Bills Do for Adolescents and Young Adults?
This fact sheet provides an analysis of the major health care reform bills before the House and Senate as of November 2009.
Adolescents | Health Care | Health Insurance | Policy | Young Adults
The Health of America’s Middle Childhood Population
This 2002 monograph describes the environment in which children live and presents diverse measures of wellbeing, as well as traditional measures of health.
Demographics | Dental/Oral | Health Care | Mental Health | Middle Childhood | Obesity | Schools | Victimization
Tracking Adolescent Health Policy: An Annotated List, 2008 Update
This 2008 brief provides an annotated list of organizations and agencies that monitor trends in state and federal policies related to the 21 Critical Health Objectives.
Adolescents | Health Behavior | Health Care | Mental Health | Obesity | Policy | Pregnancy | State Data | STIs/STDs | Substance Use | Youth Development
Lancet Series on Adolescent Health
The special edition of The Lancet explores the role of adolescence as a foundation for future health, the social determinants of adolescent health, the potential of the worldwide application of prevention science, and the current availability of data on 25 suggestedcore indicators in all countries.
Adolescents | Clinical Preventive Services | International | Lifespan | Trends
Medical Home for Adolescents: Low Attainment Rates for Those With Mental Health Problems and Other Vulnerable Groups
This 2012 study by researchers in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine examined the current rates of medical home attainment for adolescents. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children and adolescents receive care in a medical home, which the AAP defines as an environment in which care is accessible, continuous, comprehensive,
Adolescents | Disparities | Health | Health Care | Medical Home | Mental Health