OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine whether adolescents in emergency departments (EDs) who report engaging in high-risk sexual behaviors are less likely to identify a primary care provider (PCP) and more likely to access the ED than their sexually inexperienced peers. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of adolescents presenting to a pediatric ED with non-sexually transmitted infection (STI)-related complaints who completed surveys to assess sexual behavior risk and health care access. We measured differences in self-reported PCP identification, preferential use of the ED, and number of ED visits over a 12-month period by sexual experience. Secondary outcomes included clinician documented sexual histories and STI testing. RESULTS: Of 758 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 341 (44.9%) were sexually experienced, and of those, 129 (37.8%) reported engaging in high-risk behavior. Participants disclosing high-risk behavior were less likely to identify a PCP (adjusted odds ratio, 0.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.3-0.9), more likely to prefer the ED for acute care issues (adjusted odds ratio, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.0-2.6), and had a higher rate of ED visits (adjusted relative risk, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.0-1.3) compared with sexually inexperienced peers. Among patients disclosing high-risk behavior, 10.9% had clinician-documented sexual histories and 2.6% underwent STI testing. CONCLUSION: Adolescents who reported engaging in high-risk sexual behaviors were less likely to identify a PCP, as well as more likely to prefer ED-based care and make more ED visits. However, ED clinicians infrequently obtained sexual histories and performed STI testing in asymptomatic youth, thereby missing opportunities to screen high-risk adolescents who may lack access to preventive care.
OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine whether adolescents in emergency departments (EDs) who report engaging in high-risk sexual behaviors are less likely to identify a primary care provider (PCP) and more likely to access the ED than their sexually inexperienced peers. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of adolescents presenting to a pediatric ED with non-sexually transmitted infection (STI)-related complaints who completed surveys to assess sexual behavior risk and health care access. We measured differences in self-reported PCP identification, preferential use of the ED, and number of ED visits over a 12-month period by sexual experience. Secondary outcomes included clinician documented sexual histories and STI testing. RESULTS: Of 758 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 341 (44.9%) were sexually experienced, and of those, 129 (37.8%) reported engaging in high-risk behavior. Participants disclosing high-risk behavior were less likely to identify a PCP (adjusted odds ratio, 0.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.3-0.9), more likely to prefer the ED for acute care issues (adjusted odds ratio, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.0-2.6), and had a higher rate of ED visits (adjusted relative risk, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.0-1.3) compared with sexually inexperienced peers. Among patients disclosing high-risk behavior, 10.9% had clinician-documented sexual histories and 2.6% underwent STI testing. CONCLUSION: Adolescents who reported engaging in high-risk sexual behaviors were less likely to identify a PCP, as well as more likely to prefer ED-based care and make more ED visits. However, ED clinicians infrequently obtained sexual histories and performed STI testing in asymptomatic youth, thereby missing opportunities to screen high-risk adolescents who may lack access to preventive care.
Authors: George C Patton; Barbara J McMorris; John W Toumbourou; Sheryl A Hemphill; Susan Donath; Richard F Catalano Journal: Pediatrics Date: 2004-09 Impact factor: 7.124
Authors: Mary-Ann B Shafer; Kathleen P Tebb; Robert H Pantell; Charles J Wibbelsman; John M Neuhaus; Ann C Tipton; Sharon Brown Kunin; Timothy H Ko; David M Schweppe; David A Bergman Journal: JAMA Date: 2002-12-11 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: Kwame Owusu-Edusei; Harrell W Chesson; Thomas L Gift; Guoyu Tao; Reena Mahajan; Marie Cheryl Bañez Ocfemia; Charlotte K Kent Journal: Sex Transm Dis Date: 2013-03 Impact factor: 2.830
Authors: Steven D Langerman; Gia M Badolato; Alexandra Rucker; Lenore Jarvis; Shilpa J Patel; Monika K Goyal Journal: J Adolesc Health Date: 2019-07-31 Impact factor: 5.012