[Better adaptation of the Tunisian adolescent health care system]

Classical health indicators are insufficient to account for adolescent health. With the majority of young people's health problems being linked to social and behavioural factors, the compartmentalised and biomedical approaches to their health are inept. Can the totality of adolescents' health needs receive an appropriate response in a health care system which articulates itself based upon a parceled vision of health? Health professionals seem to experience difficulties in situating themselves above the expressed symptom, and therefore become aware of the real needs linked to the emotional, familial and educational contexts and integrate a global, multi-disciplinary approach to adolescent and young adult health into their everyday practice. Their reduced consumption of care is not only linked to the fact that adolescents in general enjoy good health, but it is also linked to the difficulties of the health care system to recognise their true health needs. It thus emphasises the need to develop competencies in the field of adolescent health and organise the work in a multi-disciplinary network. In order to accomplish this, it is essential that the medical schools and public health schools offer a multi-disciplinary approach to adolescent health allowing for future health professionals to be able to address fields which are not uniquely bio-medically dependent. Furthermore, the regional medical study and university centres must evolve to become welcome centers and care centers for adolescents, adopting a multi-disciplinary approach going beyond the simple juxtaposition of diverse disciplines.