Implementing the guidelines for adolescent preventive services.

The Guidelines for Adolescent Preventive Services (GAPS) include recommendations developed and promoted by the American Medical Association's Department of Adolescent Health and are intended to organize, restructure and redefine health care delivery for 11- to 21-year-old patients. Data show that health risks in this age group are more social in origin than medical, and that these unhealthy behaviors can be recognized and interventions can be applied at an earlier age to reduce adolescent mortality and morbidity. In fact, evidence suggests that some interventions may result in a decrease in premature adult mortality. GAPS provides physicians with preventive service recommendations and a flow sheet that is useful for implementing and documenting these services during office visits. This system enables the busy physician to identify at-risk adolescent patients and provide them with information about changing unhealthy behaviors