Health Communication and Young People: Setting the Scene

Young people, parents, and health professionals each enter any health consultation with their own agenda and preconceived ideas. These will have an impact on the communication that subsequently takes place. In this session we describe some of the attitudes, emotions and issues that may affect the consultation and suggest ways by which it is possible to influence these in order to achieve a more positive outcome.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session you will be able to:

• List some of the attitudes and ideas that young people, parents and health professionals have about communicating with each other
• Consider how your expectations about a consultation will influence effectiveness
• Consider how to create opportunities to meet with young people in independent consultations
• Evaluate when it is important to meet with young people alone

The foundations for any health consultation are set long before the young person enters the health professional's consulting room. Previous consultations, hopes, expectations, and stereotypes all influence the emotions and attitudes of each individual in the room, and eventually the outcome of the meeting. The young person may arrive on their own or with parents and sometimes their friends. However, even when a young person comes to the consultation on their own, the thoughts, feelings and opinions of their parents may influence both the conversation and the required action.