Preliminary report on the assessment of adolescent health needs in a tertiary care health institution in Sri Lanka

Abstract

BACKGROUND:There is no age sensitive approach to the health care needs of adolescents in Sri Lanka. Little is known about the satisfaction of adolescents about available healthcare facilities. There are plans to increase the age of admissions to paediatric wards to 16 years. There is a need for data on disease patterns and needs of adolescents in order to organize services in a sensitive and specific manner.OBJECTIVE: Assesment of healthcare needs of adolescents admitted to Colombo North Teaching Hospital {CNTH). DESIGN,SETTING AND METHOD: This on going study plans to recruit patients from two Teaching Hospital, CNTH and Batticaloa in order to study demographic variations. This preliminary report is of the first 1000 adolescents at CNTH. It is prospective, descriptive study, conducted in wards/ clinics, at CNTH. Adolescents (10-19 years) admitted/attending clinics were recruited on an all inclusive,consecutive basis. A pretested interviewer administered questionnaire was used for data collection from those aged 10-14 years by a trained interviewer. Those between 14-19 years were given a self administered pretested questionnaire with language preference.RESULTS: Majority 898 (89.8%) were residents of Western Province. Reasons for admission - fever 259 (25.9%), abdominal pain 89 (8.9%), surgical 63 (6.3%), ENT 59 (5.9%), dermatological 44 (4.4%) trauma 41 (4.1%), obstetric and gynaecological problems 34 {3.4%), endocrine 25 (2.5%), respiratory problems 28(2.8%),deliberate self-harm 22 (2.2%), headache 15 {l.5%), asthma 14 (1.4%), chronic disease 11(1.1%) child protection issues 9 (0.9%). 145(14.5%) experienced depression at least once, and out of them 61 (42.06%) admitted to suicidal throughts; out of these 22 (36%) inflicted deliberate self-harm. 70 (7%) experienced physical abuse, 15(1.5%) sexual and 46 (4.6%) emotional abuse. 786 (78.6%) were satisfied about the overall healthcare facilities.CONCLUSIONS: A tremendous spectrum of disease patterns was seen. Depression, deliberate self-harm and forms of child abuse constituted a significant number. Majority of adolescents were satisfied about overall health are facilities.