To speak of sexual behavior with adolescents is not an easy matter, but a necessary one, especially on the part of doctors. In the United States, despite the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics that ask doctors to talk to adolescents about different topics such as tobacco, alcohol and sexuality, this last subject would not be sufficiently addressed during the consultations.
A study conducted by American researchers at Duke University School of Medicine and published by the journal Jama Pediatrics is based on anonymous recordings of the conversations of 253 teens, ages 12 to 17, and 49 physicians during their annual check-ups at 11 hospitals in the state of North Carolina. By analyzing this data, scientists hope to be able to give better advice to doctors to better address the issue of sexuality.
36 seconds of conversation
“We found that practitioners spend an average of 22.4 minutes with each patient,” says Stewart Alexander, lead author of the study. “In cases where sexuality is discussed (65% of cases), the discussion on the topic is on average 36 seconds. This exchange is too limited to meet the prevention needs of adolescent sexual health.”
Young patients do not make it easy for doctors: only 4% show an interest when the subject of sexual behavior is raised while the others are happy to answer yes or no, especially girls. On the other hand, during the longer and more confidential consultations, sexuality was discussed four times more often. Age is also a factor that influences these conversations, since older teens talk more easily, according to the study’s authors.
