GPs are from Mars…are teenagers from Venus?

Why is adolescent health important? In most developed countries

adolescents constitute 13-15% of the population

25% of young people have seen their GP in the last 3 months

They have distinct health and illness behaviours

Adolescent M&M rates show worrying trends in national priority areas

Death rates in 15-19 year old now exceed those in 1-4 year olds

Aims of today To recognise the barriers

adolescents may face in accessing primary care services

To consider issues around communication with adolescents

To highlight areas of clinical concern in adolescent health

To discuss how practices could be made more teenage friendly

Programme of Events

Barriers to access A model consultation (not!) Quiz TEA!!! Setting up a teen friendly service Useful websites Finale

Barriers for teenagers in accessing primary care

EMBARRASSED ABOUT P/C

PRACTICE ENVIRONMENT

LACK OF INFORMATION

ABOUT SERVICES

APPOINTMENTSYSTEM

GEOGRAPHICAL

COMMUNICATION/LANGUAGE

CONFIDENTIALITY

BARRIERS

Teenage Health Quiz!

Prizes Galore!!

Eating Disorders During adolescence average

weight gain is 14kg (girls) & 15kg (boys) 40% of girls & 25% of boys start dieting 6 – 12% become vegetarian Obesity overshadows all other chronic

illnesses 23% overweight; 6% obese

4% of obese adolescents may have T2DM

Mental Health

Young people often experiment with drugs or “delinquent”

behaviours Depression can present as

Behavioural probs, substance misuse, school phobia, fatigue, somatic symptoms

7-14% of adolescents will self harm 20 – 45% have suicidal thoughts

Sexually Transmitted Disease

From 1995 - 2001 chlamydia rates have doubled in girls & trebled in boys

Highest rates of STD are among black Caribbean and African young people

Current UK recommendations support opportunistic screening for sexually active females

Teenage Pregnancy UK has highest rate in Western Europe Current rates are the same as those in

the 1980s! 50% of under 16s and 33% of 16-19 yr

olds used no contraception at first intercourse

Infant mortality among babies of teenage mums is 60% higher than in older mums

Drugs & Alcohol Alcohol and tobacco are most

commonly misused 20% of 12-13yr olds binge drink;

70% of 17yr olds 26% of girls and 21% of boys smoke

at 15 Half of 16yr olds have tried cannabis 5% use inhalants (glue/paint/petrol)

And the winner is….

A Local Teenage Health Clinic Interview With Dilys Bruce -

Practice Nurse at Shipley Health Centre

Background own interests and experience

Aims and Objectives address young peoples health needs and

agendas a service to the “hard to reach” advice and information emergency contraception

Gathering information Resources (funding –HAZ,

surestart, PCT) Advertising Lead in time

Word of mouth!

Audit!!!!

Present Drop in service 80% sexual health related 4-5 prescriptions of emergency contraception/wk Small group work on request Mix of health professionals Similar clinics set up elsewhere

Future Better links with other services Partnership with other agencies Saltaire School

Teenage websites

Majority are American based and concentrate on Psycho-sexual health problems

UK based websites were found with use of search engines, and links from various pages

Addresses www.teenshealth.org www.discoveryhealth.co.uk/teens www.teenagehealthfreak.org www.brook.org.uk www.likeitis.org www.mindbodysoul.gov.uk www.surgerydoor.co.uk

The End