We aimed to determine the status of and factors associated with adolescent health care delivery and training in Europe on behalf of the European Paediatric Association-UNEPSA.
Background We aimed to determine the status of and
factors associated with adolescent health care delivery and
training in Europe on behalf of the European Paediatric
Association—UNEPSA.
Materials and methods A questionnaire was mailed to the
presidents of 48 national paediatric societies in Europe. For
statistical analyses, non-parametric tests were used as
appropriate.
Results Six of the countries had a paediatric (PSPCA), 14
had a combined and nine had a general practitioner/family
doctor system for the primary care of adolescents (GP/
FDSA). Paediatricians served children 17 years of age or
older in 15 and 17, up to 16 years of age in three and six,
and up to 14 years of age in six and six countries in
outpatient and inpatient settings, respectively. Fifteen and
18 of the countries had some kind of special inpatient wards
and outpatient clinics for adolescents, respectively. Twentyeight
of the countries had some kind of national/governmental
screening or/and preventive health programmes for
adolescents. In countries with a PSPCA, the gross national
income (GNI) per capita was significantly lower than in those with a GP/FDSA, and the mean upper age limit of
adolescents was significantly higher than in those with the
other systems. In the eastern part of Europe, the mortality
rate of 10–14 year olds was significantly higher than that in
the western part (p=0.008). Training in adolescent medicine
was offered in pre-graduate education in 14 countries in the
paediatric curriculum and in the context of paediatric
residency and GP/family physician residency programmes
in 18 and nine countries, respectively. Adolescent medicine
was reported as a recognised subspecialty in 15 countries
and as a certified subspecialty of paediatrics in one country.
In countries with a PSPCA, paediatric residents were more
likely to be educated in adolescent medicine than paediatric
residents in countries with a GP/FDSA.
Conclusion The results of the present study show that there
is a need for the reconstruction and standardisation of
adolescent health care delivery and training in European
countries. The European Paediatric Association—UNEPSA
could play a key role in the implementation of the proposals
suggested in this paper.
