News >> Browse Articles >> General Health
News >> Browse Articles >> Government
U.S. Teens Poorly Served By Healthcare
United Press International
December 14, 2008
Health services for U.S. adolescents are fragmented and poorly designed to meet teen health needs, researchers said.
The report from National Research Council and Institute of Medicine said that although most U.S. adolescents are healthy, many engage in risky behavior, develop unhealthy habits, and have physical and mental conditions that can jeopardize their immediate and future health.
Healthcare providers need better training in how to meet the specific health needs of those ages 10 to 19, the committee that wrote the report said.
“Adolescents have unique healthcare needs, and our health system should not approach their care the same way it does children or adults,” committee chairman Robert S. Lawrence of The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health said in a statement.
“Because adolescence is a critical period for developing habits that build a strong foundation for health throughout one’s entire life, services need to focus on promoting healthy behaviors, preventing disease, and managing health conditions.”
Large numbers of adolescents — more than 5 million Americans ages 10 to 18 are uninsured — and these young people use care less often and are less likely to have a regular source of primary care than younger people who are insured, the report said.
Adolescents are in the age group are most likely to rely on emergency departments for routine healthcare, the researchers said.
The report is available at: http://www.nap.edu.
© YellowBrix 2008 
