[Adolescent clients of primary health care services. How do they live? Why do they seek help, and how do they express themselves?].
The objective of this study was to characterize adolescent clients of community-based primary health care services in order to understand: 1) how they express themselves when they seek medical help; 2) the health care they receive; and 3) key social and family factors. Among 35 urban primary care services belonging to the municipal public health department in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, 10 were randomly selected, and all individuals between 13 and 19 years of age who had previously had an appointment with a non-psychiatric physician were interviewed during a three-month period (n = 463). Use of the services has more of a more curative than preventive focus. Males seek medical help less frequently and mainly due to physical complaints. Females tend to express themselves on the basis of sexual problems. Few adolescents expressed their emotional problems, although some mentioned family and school problems as well as stressful situations.
Universidade Luterana do Brasil, Canoas, RS, 98420-280, Brasil. lspalazzo@bol.com.br
Lílian dos Santos
Ldos S
Palazzo
Jorge Umberto
JU
Béria
Elaine
E
Tomasi
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors