engleski

Youth frendly services-does the "open door counseling"meet adolescents needs?

Introduction: Young people are highly vulnerable to risk behaviour include risk sexual behaviour. In the project on HIV/AIDS risk behavior among especially vulnerable adolescents, conducted in Croatia in 2002, very strong complaint emerget- a lac of guidance services for youth. Following these needs and supported by thelocal goverment, the Teaching institute for publuc healt Rijeka, established in 2004."Youth Frendly Services"(YFS).The service encompasses counselling on sexual behaviour and its consequences, on the relationships and communication, offering the gynaecological examinations as well.The professionals involved are school medicine specijalists, psychologist, gynaecoloist and nurse.Objectives: to analyse and evaluate the YFS, s activities in the period january 2006/march 2007.Methods: the records from the YFS wereanalysed, according to the reasons of visits, procedures done and outcome achieved.Results: 2943 adolescents aged 14-24 years have visited the YFS.The main purposes were medical consultation and examination connected to sexual behaviour, STD, or emergencies because of unprotected sexual intercourse. Out of them 518 have visited adolescent gynaecology ; 230 gynaecological examinations were done, including cytological analysis, Chlamidia testing and pelvic ultrasound, when needed.12% of the PAPs smears shoved dysplasia, in 14% adolescents Chlamidya infection was diagnosed, 7 female students were positive for HPV, 1 for herpes genitalis and 7 for ureaplasma urealyticum.There were 8 adolescents pregnancies, 4 resulted in abortion. Counselling was provided by the school medicine specialist for 1989 adolescents and for 436 by psychologist.In focus group discussion adolescents stressed the need for YFS.Conclusion: although in the health system exist several services available for young people, there is a strong need for open-door multidisciplinary service which can meet young people, s needs. Only continuous and coordinated work of qualifield and engaged experts could help to achieve effective reduction of STD, adolescents pregnancies and other consequences.The support from the local and national health authorities is inevitable.

young people; youth frendly service

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