Adolescent Health

Thursdays 8:00 – 9:00AM

Adolescents have the lowest rates of primary care use of any age group in the U.S. Those from disadvantaged backgrounds are at the highest risk of not having regular health maintenance visits. Because adolescents seek services (especially for sensitive services) in a variety of settings (schools, medical offices, teen clinics, family planning centers, mental health clinics), their care is often characterized as fragmented and poorly coordinated. Millions of adolescents rely on the emergency department as their usual source of care. Sub-populations of adolescents are at even greater risk of poor health outcomes. For example, studies show that the nation’s 1.3 million LGBT high school students experience higher levels of physical and sexual violence, and bullying than their cisgender peers. If we seek improvements in adolescent health outcomes, we must first improve how and where they access the health care system, and reshape the content of that care to reflect their social, emotional and behavioral health needs. Many health care providers do not feel adequately equipped to meet those needs. By improving the adolescent-friendliness of your health center and improving the quality of care provided to adolescents, we can close many gaps they experience in care and improve their overall health and well-being. Through this series, ECHO-Chicago will train community-based primary care providers to provide better care to adolescents living in Chicago, and surrounding areas.

Topics for Case-Based Learning and Discussion Include:

• Introduction & Risk Assessment 
• Setting the Scene with Teens- Policy, Confidentiality and Shared decision making
• Youth Friendly Setting- Models of clinics
• LGBT care 
• Sexual & Reproductive Health- STI; HPV; HIV Screening & PrEP; Contraception
• Mental Health Screening- Screen; HEADDSSS; Referrals
• Mood Disorder Treatment
• Tobacco, Marijuana, and Ecigs
• Eating Disorders- Disgnosis, Screening labs, FBT Intro
• Menstrual Bleeding/DUB