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Trial of computerized screening for adolescent behavioral concerns.
Jack Stevens1, Kelly J Kelleher, William Gardner
1Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, 899 East Broad, 3rd Floor, Columbus, OH 43205, USA. Jack.Stevens@nationwidechildrens.org
Pediatrics
|June 4, 2008
Summary
Pediatricians identified more adolescent behavioral concerns, like injury risk and substance use, when they received screening results immediately. This improved early detection compared to delayed results.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent Medicine
- Behavioral Health
- Public Health
Background:
- Adolescent morbidity and mortality are significantly influenced by injury risk, depressive symptoms, and substance use.
- Effective identification of these behavioral concerns is crucial for timely intervention in pediatric primary care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate if computerized screening with real-time results for pediatricians improves the identification of adolescent behavioral concerns.
- To compare the pediatrician recognition rates of adolescent behavioral issues between immediate and delayed screening result delivery.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 878 primary care patients aged 11-20 years using the Health eTouch computerized screening system.
- Clinics serving predominantly low-income populations were randomized to provide screening results to pediatricians either immediately before or 2-3 days after patient encounters.
Main Results:
- 59% of participants screened positive for at least one behavioral concern (injury risk, depressive symptoms, substance use).
- Pediatrician recognition of positive screens was significantly higher in the immediate-results group (68%) compared to the delayed-results group (52%).
Conclusions:
- Immediate provision of self-reported adolescent behavioral concerns to pediatricians enhances problem recognition.
- This approach offers a promising strategy for improving the identification and management of critical adolescent health issues in primary care settings.
