Tricky Teens: Are They Really Tricky or Do Genetic Health Professionals Simply Require More Training in Adolescent Health?

• DOI: 10.2217/pme.13.49
• Publication Date: 2013-08-05T15:07:37Z
• Authors: Rony E Duncan; Mary-Anne Young
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; 03 medical and health sciences; 3. Good health

Providing health services to young people poses specific challenges as a consequence of their unique developmental stage. In the field of genetics, providing developmentally appropriate care can be further complicated by the familial nature of genetic information. Several fields of medicine have developed specific guidance around how best to work with adolescent patients. No such advice exists in the field of clinical genetics or genetic counseling. It is time for the field of genetics to address this aspect of practice through development of a specific adolescent-friendly model of care. Without such a model, the field risks falling behind other medical specialties and adolescents who visit genetic health professionals are at risk of missing out on best possible care.