A research agenda for adolescent-centered primary care in the United States

Abstract

Little attention has been given to how primary care can be transformed to better meet the needs of adolescents. To help generate the evidence needed, The National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health convened an invitational conference in 2012 in Washington, DC. Participants from various disciplines identified a set of prioritized recommendations pertaining to 3 topics: increasing adolescent and parent engagement and self-care management; improving preventive care and identifying conditions early; and integrating physical, behavioral, and reproductive health services. This commentary includes the top three recommendations for each topic area and concludes with a brief examination of federal and private funding prospects.

Keywords: Integrated care; Patient-centered care; Preventive health services; Primary health care; Research; Youth engagement.