Improving Identification of At‐Risk Behaviors in Adolescents With Rheumatic Disease
Authors' conclusion
Overall, 12% of patients reported being sexually active, underscoring the need to screen adolescents for sexual activity given many rheumatology patients take teratogenic medication. A smaller proportion used substances.
Study context
- Population
- Adolescents 14 years and older with rheumatic disease, rheumatology outpatient visits72% female
- Participants
- 877 adolescents
- Outcome
- At-risk behaviors: sexual activity and alcohol, tobacco and drug use
Methodological detailselectronic social history questionnaire, best practice advisory alert, social history questionnaire (SHQ) given via tablet at each rheumatology outpatient visit; positive response triggered a best practice advisory (BPA) alert to remind the clinician to discuss results privately
- Electronic social history questionnaire
- Best practice advisory alert
- SHQ given via tablet at each rheumatology outpatient visit; positive response triggered a BPA alert to remind the clinician to discuss results privately
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Reported sexual activity
Patients reporting being sexually active
90
12%
Mean age, sexually active vs not (years), P < 0.001
17.2 vs 15
Further findings
Substance use in sexually active patients
- Sexually active patients more likely to smoke, drink alcohol and use other drugs
- P < 0.001
Factors associated with alcohol use
- Male sex
- P = 0.0227
- White race
- P = 0.0052
- Public insurance
- P = 0.0021
Original publication
Improving Identification of At‐Risk Behaviors in Adolescents With Rheumatic Disease. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). Published 10 November 2024. doi:10.
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