Provider Facilitation of Parent-Adolescent Health Communication: Findings From a National Survey

Abstract

Introduction: Primary care providers are well-positioned to facilitate parent-adolescent health communication. We examined provider-facilitated parent-adolescent health communication prevalence and associations with parent-adolescent health communication.

Method: Using data from a national survey of parent-adolescent dyads (n = 853), we calculated the prevalence of provider-facilitated parent-adolescent health communication about 11 topics as a result of adolescent's last preventive visit. We examined correlates of of provider-facilitatedparent-adolescent communication and associations with with parent-adolescent communication.

Results: Eighteen percent of adolescents reported that a provider helped them talk with their parent about a health concern, with little variability by adolescent, parent, or provider characteristics. Prevalence of parent-adolescent communication because of an adolescent's last preventive visit ranged between 38.4% and 79.5%. Provider facilitation was positively associated with parent-adolescent communication for all topics.

Discussion: Given the low prevalence of provider-facilitated-parent-adolescent health communication and positive associations between provider facilitation and parent-adolescent communication about multiple important health-related topics, efforts to improve this practice could be beneficial.

Keywords: Preventive care; parent-adolescent communication; provider-facilitated communication.