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Preventive services for adolescents are provided in different places, including:
- Health care providers’ offices (e.g., pediatricians, internal and family medicine physicians)
- Community health centers
- University clinics
- School-based health centers
- Local health departments
Adolescents often see multiple providers to address different health care needs. For instance, they may get vision or height and weight screenings from their school nurse or during a sports physical. Some preventive services, such as an annual flu shot, can be obtained in other locations, such as local drug and grocery stores. If adolescents receive preventive services in multiple settings, it can be difficult to keep track of which services have been received and which are still needed. An easy way to keep up to date on the full range of preventive services is to schedule an annual visit with a health care provider. Find information on locating health care services.
Resources for Health care Providers
There also are things health care providers can do to make preventive services more accessible to adolescents. For example, health care providers can use reminder systems to help keep adolescent patients on schedule for immunizations and other preventive services. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has more information on how to set up reminder systems.
In addition to recommendations from major medical associations, resources for health care providers working with teens and young adults include:
- Maternal and Child Health Bureau and the National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health – Got Transition®
- National Adolescent and Young Adult Health Information Center – Clinical Services Resource Page
- University of Michigan Health System – Adolescent Champion Model
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force – Information for Health Professionals