Behavioral Medicine: A Guide for Clinical Practice, 5e >Adolescents

Mitchell D. Feldman, John F. Christensen, Jason M. Satterfield, Ryan Laponis+

Table 13-6.Strategies for improving compliance.

1. Have patients participate in all therapeutic and diagnostic decisions.

2. Discuss developmentally appropriate consequences of noncompliance. For instance, the renal or neurologic complications of poor diabetes control will not seem very important to a 14-year-old teenager.
Emphasize the positive instead—such as how proper glucose control will allow continued participation in sports and other peer activities.
3. Parents need guidance on how to balance protectiveness with their teenager’s need to make independent decisions. Role-playing in specific scenarios may be helpful.
4. When possible, communicate directly with the patient without using the parent as a conduit. Let patients know that their opinions and questions are important.
5. Refer patients and parents to local peer support groups such as diabetes, asthma, and epilepsy societies. Support groups exist for almost all chronic illnesses and can usually be found through local
telephone directories or agencies such as United Way.

Date of download: 12/27/22 from AccessMedicine: accessmedicine.mhmedical.com, Copyright © McGraw Hill. All rights reserved.