Adolescent patients in an Inner London general practice: their attitudes to illness and health care

A postal questionnaire was sent to 121 patients aged 16-20 years identified from the age-sex register of an Inner London practice; 87 replied. Information was sought about adolescents' perceptions and experience of illness and health care, and their attitudes to preventive medicine. Few of the girls reported that they were in good health; 59 per cent of girls and 23 per cent of boys had visited their general practitioner in the previous three months. Thirty per cent of girls and 15 per cent of boys felt that there was something wrong with their health and in particular that they were overweight. Smoking and drinking were common. Adequate contraception was being practised by most girls.Detailed interviews with 18 of the respondents identified a number of family problems and difficult relations with staff in hospitals. Most of them considered that good health was not merely a matter of luck.Adolescents are usually described as being a most healthy group, but this study of an inner city practice suggests that adolescents themselves do not share this view.