Although adolescence is a perfect time to create lifelong good health behaviors, two thirds of American teens aren’t receiving preventive health care, a new study finds.
Researchers from the University of California in San Francisco analyzed information gathered from about 8,500 youths between the ages of 10 and 17 who participated in a national survey of medical providers and families. Only 38 percent of them had a preventive health visit in the past year.
They also found that less than half of the teenagers were counseled about at least one of these specific preventive health issues: dental care, healthy eating, regular exercise, secondhand smoke and wearing a seat belt and bicycle helmet.
Researchers believe that insurance status and income affect the amount of preventive care a teen receives.
Statistics show that 36 percent of teens from middle-income families and 32 percent from low-income families receive a preventive visit in a year, compared with 48 percent of those from high-income families.
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