153. Resources to Support Psychosocial Assessments with Young People

Abstract

General Practitioners (GPs) are the Australian medical healthcare providers from whom young people are most likely to seek help. Approximately a fifth of Australian young people aged 12 to 24 years experience serious health issues, some of which can be life threatening. Many of the causes of harm or death for young people, such as drug and alcohol misuse, road accidents and suicide, are psychosocial in nature and potentially preventable. However, GPs do not routinely screen young people for psychosocial risk, and young people are reluctant to access primary health care. Research into young people's access to health care in New South Wales has identified key barriers to young people accessing health care, and key issues, including professional development and evidence-based practice, in developing quality health services. NSW CAAH has developed both a clinical resource kit, Adolescent Health GP Resource Kit and, building on this a training toolkit Youth Friendly General Practice: Essential skills in youth health care to increase GP skills and confidence in working with young people and to encourage practice staff to make youth friendly organizational changes. Both resources aim to increase the “youth friendliness” of GPs and promote their assessment of psychosocial risk and protective factors of young people.