Hospitalization of adolescents: collecting the data base. Variations and implications.
A survey of 2208 adolescents (aged 12 through 18 years) hospitalized during 1977 identified variations in data-base development and unrecognized health problems. Forty-eight percent were admitted to obstetrics and gynecology, 29% to surgery, 13% to pediatrics/internal medicine combined, and 10% to psychiatry. Historical, physical, and laboratory data bases and diagnoses were examined from 325 records. All records included a history of present illness and blood pressure, and most included a past medical and family history. Excluding pediatric records, a minority of records included social, immunization, school, or perinatal histories. Pediatric records were lacking in histories of alcohol or tobacco use. Most records lacked dietary or drug-abuse histories. A majority of records contained growth parameters, hemoglobin, urinalysis, and chest x-ray. Despite a high prevalence of anemia, the diagnosis was infrequently recorded. This survey suggests that clinical departments collect data on sick adolescents in differing ways--none of which seems optimal. Clinical departments should examine their training programs regarding the collection and interpretation of the data base in order to provide optimal care for hospitalized adolescents.
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003625:Data Collection; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D009017:Morbidity; D013781:Texas