Surprise! Asking Adolescents About Sensitive Topics Improves Their Perception of Care

Comprehensive adolescent healthcare includes discussion of sensitive topics, such as sexual behavior, drug use, emotional health, and family problems. However, both adolescents and providers might be reluctant to initiate such discussions. To determine whether having discussions about sensitive topics affects adolescents’ perception of care, investigators analyzed survey data for 358 adolescents (age range, 11–16 years) who were seen by 54 primary care providers (60% female, 65% pediatricians) from solo and group private practices, community clinics, and hospital-based practices in New York, Maryland, and Washington, DC. Participants were recruited in waiting rooms as part of a randomized trial of training for providers to improve communica…