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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Mark Detzer, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, Department of Psychiatry, Dartmouth Medical School, Hood Center for Children and Families, 1 Medical Center Drive, Colburn Hill, Lebanon, NH 03756 and Kathleen A. Sherrieb, RN, MS, MPH, Center for Medical Home Improvement Hood Center for Children and Families, Department of Pediatrics, Dartmouth Medical School, 1 Medical Center Drive, Colburn Hill, Lebanon, NH 03756, 603-653-1492, Mark.Detzer@Hitchcock.org.
Adolescents with a chronic physical health condition face unique challenges as they cope with the developmental and psychosocial changes in adolescence and adapt to the impact of their chronic condition on the developmental process. The STAR Program was developed to support adolescents with chronic health conditions as they navigate the transitions of adolescence. Over the first three-year period of the northern New England program, 204 teens (mean age 16.6 years) were known to the program and offered services that included individual or group counseling, mentoring with a college student experiencing a similar chronic illness, recreational opportunities, and advisory group participation. The adolescents were surveyed to determine current needs, satisfaction with the program, and future directions for the program. Eighty-three teens (40.7%) responded to the survey; all respondents received services or attended a program activity. The PedsQL (Pediatric Quality of Life) inventory assessing physical, emotional, social and school function was used to ascertain need. Overall, teens demonstrated high function scores (> 65). School functioning had the lowest mean score (66) followed by emotional functioning (70.5). Low functioning scores (below 50) in at least one of the five realms occurred in 33% of the respondents. Quality of life problems did not seem to cluster among a few respondents or in one function but were spread across one third of the group and in all five function areas. Teens used the STAR Program to address problems when they needed help and 88% indicated they were satisfied with the program services.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to
Keywords: Adolescents, Chronic Illness
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.