Doctors must be trained to deal with adolescents

BMJ 1998;317:751 ( 12 September )

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Doctors must be trained to deal with adolescents

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EDITOR $---$ Siersted et al report an association between high levels of undiagnosed asthma in adolescents and family problems,as well as the health risk factors of high body mass index, passivesmoking, and low physical activity.¹ The high rate of underdiagnosedasthma in young people is, however, explained only through themisinterpretation or neglect of symptoms of asthma by patients,parents, or medicalprofessionals.

Siersted et al found that less than a third of those with undiagnosed asthma had reported their symptoms to a doctor. Therelationship between adolescents and their doctors is likely toplay a part in this. General practitioners believe that they arebadly trained in dealing with adolescent patients.² Less thana third of paediatricians and doctors actually enjoy working withyoung people,³ and general practitioners often allow less timefor consultations with adolescents than for those with other agegroups.⁴ Young people themselves know . . . [Full text of this article]

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Population based study of risk factors for underdiagnosis of asthma in adolescence: Odense schoolchild study • Commentary: Risk factors for underdiagnosis of asthma in adolescence • Commentary: Identifying the correct risks in diagnosis • Commentary: Improving the diagnostic rate in asthma: a community issue: Hans C Siersted, Jesper Boldsen, Henrik S Hansen, Gert Mostgaard, Niels Hyldebrandt, P John Rees, Stephen J W Evans, and Hans C Siersted
BMJ 1998 316: 651-657. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]