Poster - #VH-64579 - Keywords: Adolescent Emergency Medicine Reproductive Health Care

Parent and Adolescent Views of Sexual Health Care in the Pediatric Emergency Department

Kayleigh A Fischer, Annabel Stollenwerck, Sophia Bianchi, Ginny Claire Kim, Peggy Hsieh, Rebecca M Beyda
McGovern Medical School at UT Health, Texas Medical Center Pediatric Emergency Department

ABSTRACT:
Sexual health care in the United States has become a battleground of different political and ideological groups. This has exacerbated preexisting barriers to the sexual health care needs of adolescents.

Over 14 million adolescents use emergency departments (ED) every year, and for many, this may be their only or primary contact with health care.1,2 These adolescents demonstrate high-risk sexual behaviors, increasing their risk of sexually transmitted infections (STI) and unintended pregnancy.3,4

The Pediatric ED (PED) is a unique yet underutilized access point for adolescent sexual health needs. Previous studies have shown that adolescents believe the PED is an appropriate place for STI testing as well as contraceptive care.5-7 However, these studies excluded parents/guardians and non-English speaking adolescents.

Data on parental views of the provision of sexual health care in this setting is unexplored and critical in areas of the country that require parental consent for contraceptive provision.