ADOLESCENT AND YOUTH HEALTH

SERVICE DESCRIPTION

Adolescents are aged between 10-19 years and youths between 15-24 years as defined by the World Health Organization. The services provided to these specific groups are tailored to ensure a holistic approach with emphasis on special needs.

NORMS
`

  1. Regular visits by Primary Health Care coordinators to review health services for adolescents and youth.

  2. Staff has continuing professional education on needs of youth and adolescents.
STANDARDS
`

  1. References, prints and educational materials

1.1 Clinic has a copy of rights of the child.
1.2 All legislation relevant to youth and adolescents is kept in the clinic.
1.3 List of relevant NGOs, CBOs and community youth organisations in district.
1.4 Planned Parenthood Association of South Africa booklet and other relevant materials to help parents discuss sexuality with youth.
1.5 IEC materials and a library of youth related materials.

  1. Equipment

2.1 Adequate equipment suitable for a youth friendly service catering for the health needs of this group.

  1. Medicines and Supplies

3.1 Provided according to EDL.
3.2 Condoms are placed in areas where it is not necessary to ask for them and where they can be taken without being watched

  1. Competence of Health Staff

4.1 Staff are able to

4.1.1 Map catchment area and if relevant prisons, orphanages, street children shelters, sports fields, schools and NGOs.
4.1.2 Provide accessible youth friendly services with times or days to suit youth.
4.1.3 Encourage youth to ask questions and seek information.
4.1.4 Communicate well and avoid asking intrusive, irrelevant questions.
4.1.5 Know and work well with youth organisations, sports coaches, teachers, police and traditional circumcisors in the catchment area of clinic.
4.1.6 Educate parents about parenting and provide guidance on improving intra-family and community relationships.

4.2 Clinic have at least one member of the staff competent in counselling and able to assist an individual (or group) to gain an understanding of the situation and make and implement appropriate decisions.
4.3 Staff ensure no opportunity is missed to assist youth in managing fertility and preventing STDs and HIV/AIDS.
4.4 Staff involves adolescent and youth in planning and implementation of services.

  1. Referrals

5.1 Referred according to protocols for the relevant conditions.
5.2 Ensure a mechanism for feedback of referred cases

  1. Patient Education

6.1 Assist in organizing and participate in awareness campaigns on relevant adolescent and youth health issues
6.2 Involve youth in peer education and support peer education
6.3 Supply of patient information pamphlet in relevant languages on

6.3.1 Growth and development
6.3.2 Gender specific needs of adolescents
6.3.3 Oral care
6.3.4 Nutrition
6.3.5 risks to health of alcohol, smoking, drugs
6.3.6 safe sex, condom use
6.3.7 STD, HIV, AIDS, TB

  1. Records

7.1 Staff use information system records to analyse conditions affecting youth (e.g. STD, accidents, infected circumcisions, sports injuries, behaviour problems, teenage pregnancy, TOP, rape, sexual abuse, etc).
7.2 There is a register of disabled youth that indicates all dates of efforts to improve rehabilitation and refer to special school.
7.3 Record is kept of occupational problems of youth in the area e.g. sex work, domestic work, agricultural work etc.

  1. Community Based Activity

8.1 Staff are aware of community based initiatives aimed to prevent and respond to problems of youth.

  1. Collaboration

9.1 Clinic staff work with social workers, social structures, NGOs and CBOs on adolescent and youth health issues including children at risk problems (adolescents and the law, poor hygiene, sexual abuse, glue sniffing, etc).
9.2 Staff collaborate with other sectors to improve youth health especially with teachers in schools in setting up a child-to-child programme.

Previous section | Back to contents | Next section