MEDICAL STATUS OF ADOLESCENTS AT TIME OF ADMISSION TO A JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER

Purpose: To examine the medical status and history of health care util ization of adolescents at the time of their admission to a juvenile de tention facility. Methods: Data were collected over an 18-month period on all detainees admitted for the first time to a juvenile detention facility in a major southeastern city in the United States. Informatio n was gathered through a private, confidential interview completed by a medical social worker and a physical examination by a physician. Inf ormation was obtained regarding past medical history, complaints at th e time of admission, health care utilization, and physical examination . Results: Approximately 10% of teenagers admitted to a detention faci lity have a significant medical problem (excluding drug/alcohol abuse, or uncomplicated sexually transmitted diseases) that requires medical follow-up. The majority of these conditions were known to the adolesc ent at the time of admission. Only a third of adolescents admitted to the detention facility reported a regular source of medical care, and only about 20% reported having a private physician. A majority of all the detainees had already fallen behind in or dropped out of school. M ore than half of the families of the adolescents with a medical proble m appeared to be unable or unwilling to assist in ensuring proper medi cal follow-up. Conclusions: A significant percentage of adolescents en tering a detention facility have a medical problem requiring health ca re services. Detention facilities offer an opportunity to deliver and coordinate medical care to high-risk adolescents. Programs linking pub lic and private health care providers with the correctional care syste m may provide juveniles with an acceptable option for obtaining needed health care services. (C) Society for Adolescent Medicine, 1998.