Adolescents as health agents and consumers: Results of a pilot study of the health and health-related behaviors of adolescents living in a high-poverty urban neighborhood

摘要

Disparities in mortality and morbidity exist for minority youth living in areas of poverty compared to non-Hispanic whites living in more affluent areas. Much of the research related to these disparities has focused on access to care, risk-taking behaviors of inner city youth, and parental knowledge of health and disease. Because parents of youth living in areas of poverty may be unavailable due to work or other environmental demands, adolescents often make independent healthcare decisions. Little is known about these decisions and what influences healthcare behaviors. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of adolescents regarding their perspectives on their experiences with healthcare and their health-related behaviors.