Youth Health in Primary Care

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2011:

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Students are required to have access to a computer with e-mail application and a web browser. Technical support is not available from the University of Melbourne in setting up such a system.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website : http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject will provide a theoretical framework for understanding young people’s development and their health needs, health risk screening and assessment and brief intervention strategies for mild health risk behaviour. The linkage role of the practice nurse will also be covered including multidisciplinary care of high-risk youth with other local youth agencies. Medico-legal aspects of care with younger adolescents and helping the general practice be youth friendly will also be covered along with strategies for communicating with parents and adolescents.

At the completion of this subject students should be able to:

• Understand the developmental perspective of young people.
• Understand the major health issues facing youth today.
• Communicate effectively with young people including about their health service rights such as confidentiality.
• Conduct a psychosocial health risk screen of young people and assess risk status.
• Provide relevant brief intervention or referral plans for more complex problems.

• Patient interview 20 minutes due end of semester (50%)
• Audit of health risk screening with 10 young people and reflections due end of semester (50%)
• Attendance at compulsory communication skills workshop (pass/fail hurdle requirement)

Students must achieve a cumulative mark of at least 50% and a pass in both the clinical hurdle requirements in order to pass the subject.

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This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

At the completion of this subject, students should be able to demonstrate:

• enhanced critical thinking skills
• further enhanced clinical skills
• further developed written and oral communication skills