The changing ethnic makeup of America's adolescents: implications for health.
As the percentage of minority adolescents in society increases, behaviors that affect the health of these adolescents will become increasingly important. Both mental and physical health as well as substance abuse and violence need to be addressed, and the ethnicity and culture of the adolescent patient may guide specific approaches and considerations. Many of the health problems affecting adolescents are preventable, and health care providers should aim significant resources at these issues. Gaps in adolescent health care, and especially barriers to entry for some ethnic groups, deserve greater attention to ensure that all groups can enjoy access to quality health care. Options available to health care practitioners for reducing these barriers are offered in the final portion of the article.
Martinez
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School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, 60612, USA.
Scrimshaw
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D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data