Unmet education and training needs in adolescent health of health professionals in a UK children's hospital

Abstract

Aim: To determine the perceived education and training needs in adolescent health of health professionals.

Design: Cross-sectional survey Setting and subjects: Hospital staff in a UK children's hospital.

Outcome measures: perceived barriers, confidence, knowledge, skill and prior teaching in key adolescent health subject areas.

Results: The hospital survey was completed by 159/1400 professionals representing a completion rate of 11%. Doctors and staff from 'Professions allied to medicine' rated 'lack of training', 'lack of teaching materials' and ' lack of community resources' as the main barriers to providing developmentally appropriate care. Sixty per cent of hospital respondents had received no prior specific training in adolescent health. All but four topics were perceived to be of very high or high importance by the majority of respondents (54-90%). Low scores in perceived knowledge, confidence and/or skill were reported in nine key subject areas (including adolescent mental health and substance use). Differences between doctors and professions allied to medicine were observed in a minority of areas.

Conclusion: Unmet education and training needs of a range of professionals working in a paediatric setting were identified in key areas of adolescent health and they provide useful directions for the development of future multidisciplinary training programmes.