Elevated syphilis rates, particularly among minority groups, in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts led to formation of a coalition of local organizations, local and state health departments, area medical care providers, and a university school of public health to deal with the problem. An initial KABB survey, conducted in 1994, determined (among other findings) that teens were reluctant to seek medical care because they felt the clinicians did not understand them and did not respect their opinions and estimations of their problems.
A team of teen-aged community health workers conducted outreach to clinicians at a neighborhood health center in Springfield. Using methods and materials of their own design, the teens worked with the health center staff to increase awareness of the teens’ feelings and concerns and to help increase their comfort levels when working with teens. Visits by teens went from 60 in 1994 (prior to outreach activities) to more than 600 in 1996. The STD clinic in Springfield consistently attracts the greatest percentage of its visits from teens (20%) compared to any other STD clinic in the state. Anecdotal evidence points to the efforts of the outreach activities as helping the clinicians to become more "teen friendly".
A survey in 2000 of clinicians at this health center as well as at others will document the changes in clinicians’ behaviors as a result of the teen outreach. Results of this year’s survey of clinicians will be presented.
Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will identify the factors necessary for successful teen-to-clinician outreach education. 2. Participants will evaluate the use of different educational modalities for teens to successfully teach clinicians how they may be more comfortable and have more impact on behaviors when working with teens
Keywords: Community-Based Health Care,
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.