Preventive activities in general practice 7th edition | Adolescence: 14

Introduction and user guide

Preventive activities before pregnancy

Genetic counselling and testing

Preventive activities in children and young people

Preventive activities in middle age

Preventive activities in older age

Communicable diseases

Prevention of chronic disease

Prevention of vascular and metabolic disease

Early detection of cancers

Psychosocial

Screening tests of unproven benefit

Appendices

Disclaimer

Adolescence: 14 - 19 years of age

Adolescence: 14–19 years of age: Risk
Who is at higher risk?	What should be done?	How often/when?	Level of evidence and references
Increased risk Young people with disability or a chronic condition	Reduce harm (see ‘Intervention’)	Opportunistically	V C 104–106
As per the Australian Immunisation Handbook NB. Only vaccines delivered in accord with the National Immunisation Program (NIP) Schedule are government funded	Immunise as recommended by the Australian Immunisation Handbook (see Chapter 6 Communicable diseases)		III A 49

Adolescence: 14–19 years of age: Risk

Who is at higher risk?

What should be done?

How often/when?

Level of evidence and references

Increased risk
Young people with disability or a chronic condition

Reduce harm (see ‘Intervention’)

Opportunistically

V C 104–106

As per the Australian Immunisation Handbook

NB. Only vaccines delivered in accord with the National Immunisation Program (NIP) Schedule are government funded

Immunise as recommended by the Australian Immunisation Handbook (see Chapter 6 Communicable diseases)

III A 49

Many young people find it difficult to access health care in general practice and once there, to raise important health issues with the doctor.¹²⁵ General practitioners often find providing optimal care for young people challenging.¹²⁵ Many young people with chronic illness or disability have difficulty negotiating the transition from tertiary paediatric care to the adult health care system.^122,123

Adolescence: 14–19 years of age: Intervention
Intervention	Technique	References
Harm minimisation	Assess pre-adolescent and adolescent patients for potentially risky behaviours. Frequent attendees with relatively minor problems are at higher risk of mental health problems Provide messages that encourage delay in initiation of potentially risky behaviours, and at the same time promote risk reduction strategies if adolescents choose to engage, or are already engaging in, risky behaviours Use principles of motivational interviewing in the assessment and discussion of risky health behaviours with adolescent patients Become familiar with resources in the community that provide harm reduction programs for substance abuse, pregnancy prevention and injury prevention Advocate for the introduction, further development and evaluation of evidence based prevention and treatment programs that use a harm reduction philosophy in schools and communities	121

Adolescence: 14–19 years of age: Intervention

Intervention

Technique

References

Harm minimisation

Assess pre-adolescent and adolescent patients for potentially risky behaviours. Frequent attendees with relatively minor problems are at higher risk of mental health problems
Provide messages that encourage delay in initiation of potentially risky behaviours, and at the same time promote risk reduction strategies if adolescents choose to engage, or are already engaging in, risky behaviours
Use principles of motivational interviewing in the assessment and discussion of risky health behaviours with adolescent patients
Become familiar with resources in the community that provide harm reduction programs for substance abuse, pregnancy prevention and injury prevention
Advocate for the introduction, further development and evaluation of evidence based prevention and treatment programs that use a harm reduction philosophy in schools and communities

121

Guidelines for preventive activities in general practice 7th edition

Full index

Introduction and user guide

Preventive activities before pregnancy

Genetic counselling and testing

Preventive activities in children and young people

Preventive activities in middle age

Preventive activities in older age

Communicable diseases

Prevention of chronic disease

Prevention of vascular and metabolic disease

Early detection of cancers

Psychosocial

Oral hygiene

Glaucoma

Urinary incontinence

Osteoporosis

Screening tests of unproven benefit

References

Appendices

Glossary

Acronyms

Acknowledgements

Disclaimer

Adolescence: 14 - 19 years of age