Understanding why adolescents decide to visit family physicians: qualitative study.
OBJECTIVE
To understand why Canadian adolescents go or do not go to see family physicians for annual checkups using the Theory of Planned Behavior as a conceptual framework.


METHODS
Qualitative analysis of small group discussions.


METHODS
Edmonton, Alta, a large Canadian city.


METHODS
Seventeen adolescents (6 male, 11 female) recruited from a medical clinic and an organized youth group.


METHODS
Two small group discussions and one validation focus group were held. A combination of category coding and thematic analysis was used to analyze the data transcribed.


RESULTS
Adolescents reported that regular checkups, although uncomfortable, are a good idea. They also reported that going to a family doctor for a checkup is out of their control because of numerous barriers (eg, lack of time, not knowing how to set it up, or lack of transportation). Participants thought their parents' opinions on going for routine checkups were more important than the opinions of their peers.


CONCLUSIONS
Family physicians should recognize adolescents' attitudes toward visiting family physicians' offices and understand the potential barriers adolescents face in coming in for checkups in order to make visits to their offices more comfortable and beneficial.
Klein
Douglas
D
Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta. doug.klein@ualberta.ca
Wild
T Cameron
TC
Cave
Andrew
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000416:Alberta; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003657:Decision Making; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male