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depression; and Safety. (See also Ham P,
Allen C., "Adolescent Health Screening
and Counseling." American Family Physician
2012 Dec 15; 86(12):1109-1116, on the Web
at http://www.aafp.org/afp/2012/1215/
p1109.html.)
In talking with teens, physicians should be
nonjudgmental and ensure confidentiality —
unless the adolescent says they have been
abused or that they will harm themselves
or someone else. In these situations, the
physician must report abuse and take action
to keep the adolescent safe. Questions about
sexual behavior help assess risks for preg-
nancy and sexually transmitted infections.
As cheerleaders for parents, physicians can
reinforce that parents are the most important
influence on their children and the most
important teachers about sexual behavior.
The four C's help parents build close, positive
relationships with adolescents through
connection, communication, coaching and
checking (monitoring). Physicians should
provide parents with resources — for example,
those at The National Campaign to Prevent
Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, http://
www.thenationalcampaign.org/parents/
default.aspx.
Physicians can also be champions for
effective programs and sound policies. Most
parents want their children to receive school-
based sex education, and there are now many
effective programs. Physicians can support
effective programs in their communities'
schools, sound state policies, and access to
STD testing and contraceptives for sexually
active teens.
Our job in the medical community
is to help young people make healthy
decisions regarding sexual activity. We
need to reinforce that the healthiest and
most effective way to prevent unwanted
pregnancies and STDs is not to have sex.
For the teens who choose to have sex,
though, it is essential that they be prepared
to use contraceptives to reduce the risk of
pregnancy and condoms to reduce the risk
of STDs.
Healthy Futures of Texas is working with
The Health Collaborative and many other
organizations to reduce teen pregnancy in
Bexar County by 25 percent by 2020. We
encourage physicians to play a key role in
this important community effort. ■
Resources for Teen Pregnancy Prevention
• Metro Health Project WORTH:
www.sanantonio.gov/Health/HealthyLiving/
TeenHealth.aspx
• OurTown4Teens:
www.ourtown4teens.org
• ME NOW … baby later:
www.menowbabylater.com
• Healthy Futures of Texas:
www.HF-TX.org
• The Texas Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy:
www.txcampaign.org
• The National Campaign to Prevent
Teen & Unplanned Pregnancy:
www.thenationalcampaign.org/parents/default.aspx
• Office of Adolescent Health:
www.hhs.gov/ash/oah
• The Health Collaborative:
www.healthcollaborative.net
• SA2020:
www.sa2020.org
M D N E W S . CO M ■ MD NEWS San Antonio
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