[The practitioner's office as a place for preventive measures for adolescents]

During adolescence, health care and health prevention activities are closely linked. In his office, every physician can have an impact on his young patients' health in different ways: screening for unmet health needs, increasing this adolescent's compliance in providing him with adequate information, discussing the consultant's behaviour and lifestyles, etc. Routine examinations (like before sports camp or entry into apprenticeship) represent excellent opportunities for such preventive activities. Finally, in this activity, the physician should evaluate and make use of his patient's resources; as well, he should not underestimate the impact of the adolescent's environment (climate in the family, social environment, working conditions, etc.).