1 - Pediatric Resident, Hospital Dona Estefânia, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central, EPE, Lisboa
2 - GP Resident - USF Dafundo
3 - Adolescent Unit, Hospital de Dona Estefânia, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central, EPE, Lisboa
- 19th International Association Adolescent Health European Congress, Lisbon, Portugal
Resumo:
Introduction: Adolescent Medicine (AM) is a relatively new subject in Portugal and many professionals still wonder what they can fit in it. Since patients are referred to a tertiary hospital clinic by doctors in very different settings, the portrait oh these referrals is an important contribution to their impression about this area. Furthermore, this knowledge could be useful to adjust it to the population real needs.
Objectives: To characterize the population seen in an tertiary pediatric hospital AM clinic and to compare it with other similar clinics.
Methods: Transversal descriptive study of the first appointments in 2014.
Results: From a total of 952 appointments, 282 (30%) were first ones; median age was 14.8 years; 61% females. Referral sources: other hospital clinics (30%), emergency room (27%), GP’s (15%) and inpatient units (11%). The top five diagnosis were: headache (17%), obesity (9%), eating disorders (9%), risk behaviour (7%) and short stature (5%). The main diagnostic categories were: mental and behaviour disorders (25%), neurological (21%) and endocrine (19%). About one third of these patients (33%) were followed up by psychology or psychiatry. 31% were discharged during the study period – 62% after the first appointment. Comparing to other portuguese studies, the results are similar in age, sex and referral sources. The main diagnostic categories were the same, but in different order. However, one study showed the genitourinary diseases as one of the most frequent.
Conclusions: This study will bring the opportunity to adapt and optimize available resources. The low number of referrals from GP’s may show difficulties in accessibility and lack of information about the clinic itself. This fact and the high percentage of patients discharged after the first appointment, will led us to review the referral criteria to our clinic, ensuring accessibility to it.
Palavras Chave: adolescent, medicine, clinic