Project Title:
Adolescent Health Collaborative: Connecting Adolescent-Centered Care in Durham
Project Co-Leads:
Kristin Ito, MD, MPH, Duke Department of Pediatrics
Nancy Kent, LCSW, The Durham Center
Proposal Abstract:
Risk-taking behaviors established in adolescence are a significant source of morbidity and mortality for adolescents and adults. Decreasing these behaviors is critical to improving the health of communities. Current health care for adolescents in Durham is fragmented; as a result, many adolescents with modifiable health problems and risk-taking behaviors do not receive needed care with resultant significant cost to the community.
Our team proposes to build on the existing adolescent health infrastructure and develop a sustainable plan for a comprehensive adolescent health center (AHC) with the goal of providing integrated medical and mental health care and multidisciplinary care coordination based on protocols found to be effective in improving the delivery of services in an innovative, technology-driven medical home setting for youth ages 10-24.
The desired outcome is to decrease morbidity and mortality by reducing adolescent risk-taking behaviors which will be measured by the following outcomes
- decrease in adolescent risk-taking behaviors as measured by the bi-annual Durham County Youth Risk Behavior Survey
- increase utilization of the AHC as a medical home with a resultant decrease in use of non-primary care services and
- reduce morbidity and mortality among adolescents as measured by epidemiological statistics, such as pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection rates, youth homicide rates, and violence and substance use-related juvenile offenses in Durham.
During the planning process, we will work closely with stakeholders to come up with the most appropriate model of how to build on existing services and streamline resources in the development of a medical home model of care for adolescents, targeting those who currently do not have a medical home. This will provide long-term cost-savings by decreasing risk-taking behaviors and their health consequences in adolescents and adults, decreasing specialty referrals and ED expenditures, and improving chronic disease management.
Final Report [DHI Final Report Adolescents]
Publication
Ito KE, Brown JD, “To Friend or Not to Friend: Using New Media for Adolescent Health Promotion”, NC Medical Journal. 2010; 71(4):367-372.
