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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Tanisha Villegas Carino, BA, Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, 110 West 39th St #208, Baltimore, MD 21210, 4106629934, tcarino@jhsph.edu
This study will identify characteristics of physicians (site of care, gender, privacy, and family-orientation) associated with greater use of medical and mental health services for adolescents with differing risk profiles in the United States. The data source is a national survey of in-school adolescents (n=6,728) grades 5th-12th from 267 public, private, and parochial schools in the U.S. Bivariable and multivariable analyses will be conducted to assess the independent association of each physician characteristic with the probability of receiving a physical exam, using physician services, and visiting a mental health provider in the previous year. All multivariable analyses will control for predisposing, enabling, and needs characteristics reported by the adolescent. Sub-analysis of the relation ship of physician characteristics and use of services by adolescents' risk status will also be conducted. Current models of health care utilization fall short in fully recognizing the unique experience of adolescents, specifically, the relationship with adolescents and their providers. The possible findings from this study may help further the goal of identifying the characteristics of primary care physicians associated with higher levels of use for adolescents in general and those at-risk for poor health due to unhealthy behaviors. It is this population that may benefit the most from identification of characteristics that are associated with their increased interaction with the health care system. Findings from this research may be used by policy-makers and clinicians to encourage policies that support the adolescents’ relationships with their primary care physician and further the development of confidential services for teens.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Access to Health Care, Adolescent Health
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.