Discovering the complexities of adolescent compliance to treatment
Song, M.; Omar, H.A.
International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health 21(1): 3-8
2009
ISSN/ISBN: 0334-0139 PMID: 19526690 Document Number: 631194
To explore the challenges faced in enhancing adolescent treatment compliance and to understand the roles of key players in this endeavor: the adolescent, parent and healthcare provider. Obtaining compliance from adolescents requires collaboration from the adolescent, caregiver and provider and depends on well-established relationships between each person in the triad: adolescent-provider, adolescent-caregiver, and caregiver-provider. Ensuring and improving adherence to treatment by adolescents is a challenging task but crucial to overall health outcomes. It requires the collaboration of the adolescent, parent and physician to create the optimal treatment plan, specifically tailored to the adolescent. For the clinician, maintaining good communication and relationships, active listening, as well as partnering with the adolescent and parent are keys to positive outcomes.