title: Developmentally appropriate healthcare for young people: a scoping study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is increasing recognition of the importance of providing quality healthcare to meet the biopsychosocial needs of young people. 'Developmentally appropriate healthcare' (DAH) for young people is one term used to explain what these services consist of. However, this term remains ill defined.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  (i) To analyse the use of the term DAH in the scientific literature and (ii) to identify and explore the range of meanings attributed to the term in relation to young people.
  
  
  METHODS
  A scoping review was conducted to map the presence of the term DAH in the literature. To analyse the use and meanings attributed to the DAH terminology, data underwent qualitative content analysis using a summative approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  62 papers were selected and subjected to content analysis. An explicit definition of DAH was provided in only 1 of the 85 uses of the term DAH within the data set and in none of the 58 uses of the prefix 'developmentally appropriate'. A link between the use of the term DAH and the domains of adolescent medicine, young people, chronic conditions and transitional care was identified; as were the core ideas underpinning the use of DAH.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a need for consistency in the use of the term DAH for young people, the related stage-of-life terminology and age range criteria. Consensus is now needed as to the content and range of a formal conceptual and operational definition.
authors.affiliation: School of Immunity and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farre
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rapley
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Jeremy R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Parr
authors.affiliation: Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Tyne and Wear, UK.
authors.forename: Debbie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reape
authors.affiliation: School of Immunity and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Janet E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: McDonagh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D006801:Humans; D011787:Quality of Health Care
keywords: Adolescent Development; Adolescent Health Services; Adolescents; Young Adults