The update of the Guide for the early detection of alterations of the young person from 10 to 29 years, originate a tool that allows the integral attention of the young population of the country.
This set of standards and recommendations is intended to provide clinicians, patients, family members, researchers, insurance companies and other interested persons with information about the aspects of assistance for young adults aged 10 to 29 years. Each patient must be evaluated in particular and the clinician will define whether it requires evaluation and treatment by other specialists.
Methodology
The relevant aspects in the updating of the norm focused on: The evaluation of the national, Latin American and world experience on the services of integral attention to adolescents and young people, differentiated services that adapt to the real needs and demand of this population, not only from the disease aspect but conceiving them from the biological, psychological and sociocultural dimensions.
The integral and integrated attention of adolescents and young people offered from the promotion and prevention activities with a broad vision that includes the development of human potential and the specific prevention activities for specific problems in an integrated way between institutions and sectors.
The update of the Guide for the early detection of alterations of young people between 10 and 29 years old, creates a tool that allows the integral attention of the young population of the country.
The health care of adolescents and young people as a whole linked to their family nucleus and their environment, where risk factors and protectors can be detected that allow timely interventions in the biomedical and psychosocial areas to ensure healthy development.
A participatory strategy was developed that includes the elaboration of systematic reviews, focused on identifying evidence from selected clinical guidelines according to criteria of the AGREE Collaboration (Appraisal of Guideline Research & Evaluation, 2001).
The recommendations have been analyzed in their external validation (generalization of results) through the collaborative work of a group of experts from different sectors such as health, education and culture, as well as public, private and community institutions, and scientific associations.
The following electronic sources of biomedical information were consulted: MEDLINE® (from its appearance until June 2005); LILACS® (from its appearance until June 2005), BIREME (from its appearance until June 2005). In addition, studies carried out in the country in different departments and that are not yet published in works with adolescents and young people, and entities that offer differentiated services for adolescents were visited.
Justification
More than 30% of the Colombian population is represented by adolescents and young people between 10 and 29 years of age (1), who need adequate conditions to develop their physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, social and artistic potential; conditions that must be offered from the biological, psychological, socio-economic and cultural spheres, within a gender and equity perspective.
The growth and development of adolescents and young people is influenced by multiple factors, among which is the environment, which covers prerequisites that are basic to health, as mentioned by the Ottawa Charter (2): peace, housing, education , food, income, stable ecosystem, sustainable resources, social justice and equity; However, a healthy environment that provides support and opportunities for adolescents and young people is a necessary but not sufficient element for healthy development (3). It is also necessary to take into account other factors such as family, school, peers, media and growth and development as a person to gain cognitive, social and professional skills that enhance protective factors and minimize risk behaviors that can alter their development.
The health prevention of the adolescent population cannot be given only the focus of reducing problems such as: teenage pregnancies, psychoactive substance abuse, HIV / AIDS, eating disorders, sexual violence, depression, suicide, prostitution, etc., because it would be to think in the short term and in a limited and fragmented way as we do when we offer services only focused on trying to fix problems and the focused use of resources for each problem (3).
Prevention in adolescents and young people should also seek the interaction of young people with their family and their social environment (school, peers, partners, community) after the development of their human potential, offering opportunities, security and support that allow them to develop their responsibility, self-esteem, ethics, commitment to the community, cognitive skills, behaviors and healthy habits.
The prevention of the disease in adolescents and young people seen from a mixed approach, development of the youth’s potential and integral problem solving, must always be accompanied by services that offer differentiated care for adolescents and young people, comprehensive care services that have special characteristics with which they feel identified and receive attention with respect, confidentiality, trust and quality.
