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Strengthen the Evidence for Maternal and Child Health Programs

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Evidence Tools
Adolescent Well-Visit

Introduction

This toolkit summarizes content from the Adolescent Well-Visit Evidence Accelerator and the MCHbest database. The peer-reviewed literature supporting this work can be found in the Established Evidence database. Use the resources below as you develop effective evidence-based/informed programs and measures.

From the MCH Block Grant Guidance. Adolescence is a period of major physical, psychological, and social development. As adolescents move from childhood to adulthood, they assume individual responsibility for health habits, and those who have chronic health problems take on a greater role in managing those conditions. Initiation of risky behaviors, such as unsafe sexual activity, unsafe driving, and substance use, is a critical health issue during adolescence, as adolescents try on adult roles and behaviors. An annual preventive well visit may help adolescents adopt or maintain healthy habits and behaviors, avoid health‐damaging behaviors, manage chronic conditions, and prevent disease. The Bright Futures guidelines recommends that adolescents have an annual checkup from age 11 through 21. The visit should cover a comprehensive set of preventive services, such as a physical examination, immunizations, and discussion of health‐related behaviors including healthy eating, physical activity, substance use, sexual behavior, violence, and motor vehicle safety. The adolescent well-care visit measure for health plans is part of the Core Set of Children’s Health Care Quality Measures for Medicaid and CHIP and the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set.

Goal. To increase the percent of adolescents who have a preventive medical visit.

Note. Access other related measures in this Population Domain through the Toolkits page.

Detail Sheet: Start with the MCH Block Grant Guidance

GOAL: To increase the percent of adolescents who have a preventive medical visit.

DEFINITION:
Numerator: Number of adolescents, ages 12 through 17, who are reported by a parent to have had a preventive medical check-up with a health care provider in the past year

Denominator: Number of adolescents, ages 12 through 17

Units: 100
Text: Percent

HEALTHY PEOPLE 2030 OBJECTIVE: Identical to Adolescent Health (AH) Objective 01: Increase the proportion of adolescents who received a preventive health care visit in the past year. (Baseline: 78.7% in 2016-17, Target: 82%)

DATA SOURCES: National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH)

MCH POPULATION DOMAIN: Adolescent Health

MEASURE DOMAIN: Clinical Health Systems

1. Accelerate with Evidence—Start with the Science

The first step to accelerate effective, evidence-based/informed programs is ensuring that the strategies we implement are meaningful and have high potential to affect desired change. Read more about using evidence-based/informed programs and then use this section to find strategies that you can adopt or adapt for your needs.

Evidence-based/Informed Strategies: MCHbest Database

The following strategies have emerged from studies in the scientific literature as being effective in advancing the measure. Use the links below to read more about each strategy or access the MCHbest database to find additional strategies.

Chart of Evidence-Linked Strategies and Tools

Evidence-Informed

Evidence-Based

Mixed Evidence

Emerging Evidence

Expert Opinion

Moderate Evidence

Scientifically Rigorous

 

 

Field-Based Strategies: Find promising programs from AMCHP’s Innovation Hub

Cutting Edge:

Emerging:

Promising:

Best:

 

2. Think Upstream with Planning Tools—Lead with the Need

The second step in developing effective, evidence-based/informed programs challenges us to plan upstream to ensure that our work addresses issues early and is measurable in “turning the curve” on big issues that face MCH populations. Read more about moving from root causes to responsive programs and then use this section to align your work with the data and needs of your populations.

Move from Need to Strategy

Use Root-Cause Analysis (RCA) and Results-Based Accountability (RBA) tools to build upon the science to determine how to address needs.

Planning Tools: Use these tools to move from data to action

3. Work Together with Implementation Tools—Move from Planning to Practice

The third step in developing effective, evidence-based/informed programs calls us to work together to ensure that programs are implementable and moveable within the realities of Title V programs and lead to improved health outcomes for all people. Read more about implementation tools designed for MCH population change and then use this section to develop responsive strategies to bring about change that is responsive to the needs of your populations.

Additional MCH Evidence Center Resources: Access supplemental materials from the literature

Implementation Resources: Use these field-generated resources to affect change

Practice. The following tools can be used to translate evidence to action to advance this NPM:

Partnership. The following organizations focus efforts on supporting adolescent well-visits:

Additional Resources:

References

Introductory References: From the MCH Block Grant Guidance

1 Hagan JF, Shaw JS, Duncan PM, eds. Adolescence Visits 11 Through 21 Years. Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents. 4th ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2017. https://brightfutures.aap.org/Bright%20Futures%20Documents/BF4_AdolescenceVisits.pdf

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U02MC31613, MCH Advanced Education Policy, $3.5 M. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.