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, family-centered, and cultural effective. The Affordable Care Act also supports many aspects of the medical home. Prior research has found a positive relationship between medical home components and positive health outcomes.

Data from the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health was used, consisting of responses from 45,897 adolescents ages 10-17.

The analyses showed barely half of adolescents received care in a medical home (54%) in 2007. Rates are even lower for adolescents with mental health problems, especially those who have both mental health and physical health problems. Other groups with low rates include lower-income, minority and uninsured youth. Scroll down to the interactive graphs for more details on the findings!

The authors recommend that efforts be focused on improving care coordination and family-centered care, especially for adolescents who are disadvantaged and/or suffer from mental health conditions.

See the news story featured on the UCSF website here: Nearly Half of Adolescents Lack a Patient-Centered Medical Home.

Click here to access the article:  Medical Home for Adolescents: Low Attainment Rates for Those With Mental Health Problems and Other Vulnerable Groups. Sally H Adams, RN, PhD; Paul Newacheck, DrPH; M. Jane Park, MPH; Claire D. Brindis, DrPH; Charles E. Irwin Jr., MD. Academic Pediatrics 2012; 13(2); 113-121.

Try out the interactive  graphic below by clicking on the different groups (all adolescents, insured, uninsured) to see a visual representation of the study’s key findings! You can also hover over the graphs to see exact percentages.