Preventive counseling at adolescent ambulatory visits.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate factors that independently predict counseling for diet, exercise, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), pregnancy, smoking, and injuries at adolescent well visits, and compare these rates to the frequency of counseling at adolescent acute visits.


METHODS
The 1997-2000 National Ambulatory Medical Care and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys were combined for patients aged 11-21 years. Acute visits were identified by ICD-9 code for: sexual health, obesity, asthma, injury, and well care. Bivariate analyses were used to determine differences in relevant counseling provided at acute visits compared with well visits. Logistic regression was used to assess factors that predict counseling on each of the above topics at well adolescent visits.


RESULTS
Of 23,378 adolescent ambulatory visits, 1508 (6.5%) were for well care. Only 0.8% of visits were for obesity, 3.7% for sexual health, 2.6% for asthma, and 13% for injuries. Counseling was more frequent at acute than well visits for diet (72% vs. 28%), exercise (52% vs. 23%), human immunodeficiency virus/sexually transmitted diseases (HIV/STD; 14% vs. 6.2%), and family planning (FP) (24% vs. 10%), (all p values < .05). Pediatric clinicians were more likely than other specialists to provide counseling for diet (OR 2.3), HIV/STD (OR 2.7), FP (OR 2.9), tobacco use (OR 2.8), and injury prevention (OR 4.7). Blacks received less exercise counseling than Whites (OR 0.4), and counseling about sensitive issues (STDs, family planning) occurred more often in older adolescents (OR 1.3).


CONCLUSIONS
Despite recommendations, more counseling occurs at acute rather than well visits, and still does not reach all those adolescents in need. There remains much room for improvement in physicians' adherence to national guidelines for adolescent care.
Rand
Cynthia M
CM
Department of Pediatrics and Strong Children's Research Center, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA. cynthia_rand@urmc.rochester.edu
Auinger
Peggy
P
Klein
Jonathan D
JD
Weitzman
Michael
M
D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D003376:Counseling / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D011315:Preventive Medicine; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D014481:United States; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control