Imperial College London
Portrait Picture

Professor Mitch Blair

Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health

Emeritus Professor
 
 
 
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Contact

 

+44 (0)20 8869 3881m.blair Website

 
 
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Location

 

River Island Academic Centre for Paediatrics and Child HealthNorthwick ParkNorthwick Park and St Marks Site

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Summary

 

Publications

Citation

BibTex format

@article{Michaud:2019:10.1136/archdischild-2019-317073,
author = {Michaud, P-A and Visser, A and Vervoort, J and Kocken, P and Reijneveld, S and Blair, M and Alexander, D and Rigby, M and Weber, M and Jansen, D},
doi = {10.1136/archdischild-2019-317073},
journal = {Archives of Disease in Childhood},
pages = {40--46},
title = {Do European Union countries adequately address the healthcare needs of adolescents in the area of sexual reproductive health and rights?},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2019-317073},
volume = {105},
year = {2019}
}
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RIS format (EndNote, RefMan)

TY  - JOUR
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are of particular relevance given their potential short-term or long-term health consequences. This study evaluates recommendations and policies regarding access to care in this area in 31 European countries (European Union (EU) plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland). METHODS: As part of the EU funded Models of Child Health Appraised project, data were gathered using a 43-item questionnaire sent to experts responsible for collecting information in each country. RESULTS: Ten countries have not developed any formal policy or recommendation that guarantee the respect of confidentiality and the possibility of consulting a physician without parents knowing. Nearly half of the countries do not have centres specialised in adolescent healthcare, tackling comprehensive health issues or focusing specifically on SRH. Access to emergency contraception and information regarding pregnancy, including testing, is easy in most countries. However, oral contraception is delivered free of charge in only 10 countries. Twenty-three countries do not meet current standards in terms of providing policy-based pregnancy care, and only 13 have set up special programmes for pregnant adolescents. In only seven countries can adolescents definitely have their pregnancy terminated without their parents knowing (and in another seven countries in selected situations). CONCLUSION: The provision and availability of adolescent-friendly SRHR care are far from optimal in around half of the surveyed countries. These results call for the review and implementation of policies, specialised healthcare centres and training initiatives for primary care providers.
AU  - Michaud,P-A
AU  - Visser,A
AU  - Vervoort,J
AU  - Kocken,P
AU  - Reijneveld,S
AU  - Blair,M
AU  - Alexander,D
AU  - Rigby,M
AU  - Weber,M
AU  - Jansen,D
DO  - 10.1136/archdischild-2019-317073
EP  - 46
PY  - 2019///
SN  - 0003-9888
SP  - 40
TI  - Do European Union countries adequately address the healthcare needs of adolescents in the area of sexual reproductive health and rights?
T2  - Archives of Disease in Childhood
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2019-317073
UR  - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31270093
UR  - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/77976
VL  - 105
ER  -
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