The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine
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Comparative Study
Male adolescent use of health care services: where are the boys?
To describe patterns of health care use by adolescent males in the United States and clinical practice characteristics associated with their use of adolescent-specific programs. ⋯ Younger male adolescents make health care visits in relatively equal proportions to females at all NAMCS and NHAMCS locations and visits by older males are significantly reduced. Male adolescent visits are lower than females at all adolescent-specific programs; school-based clinics see the highest proportion of males. Greater understanding of male adolescents' transition between providers from adolescence to adulthood is needed to improve care to male adolescents who under-use health services.
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To examine adolescents' use of preventive medical and dental services and its relationship to demographic characteristics and other variables reflecting access to and need for care. ⋯ Health insurance and family income are most consistently related to adolescents' use of preventive medical and dental care. However, the relationship between lack of dental care and place of birth emphasizes the need to improve access to dental services for immigrant teens. These findings are particularly relevant as states design systems of care for adolescents under the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
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To survey the attitudes and clinical practice of health professionals to identify current practice and possible barriers to discussion of sexual and reproductive health issues in adolescent males with cystic fibrosis (CF). ⋯ Greater training for health professionals in the reproductive and sexual health issues of CF is a step to more complete, timely, and comfortable discussion of this area of health care.