Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38183040›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2024

The use of youth healthcare services and its association with health-related quality of life, physical and mental health and over-the-counter analgesics use in 13-19-year-old adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

Eva-Grethe Befus, Eirin Mølland, Sølvi Helseth, Milada Hagen, Tonje Holte Stea, Sandra Nolte, Kristin Haraldstad

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
4.4field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Predictors of Preference for School-Based Health Center Services Among Urban High School Youth.Health education & behavior : the official publication of the Society for Public Health Education · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Eva-Grethe BefusFaculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, P.O. Box 422, Kristiansand, 4604, Norway. eva-grethe.befus@uia.no.ORCID 0000-0002-4577-8639
Eirin MøllandDepartment of Economics and Finance, School of Business and Law, University of Agder, P.O. Box 422, Kristiansand, 4604, Norway.ORCID 0000-0002-2403-936X
Sølvi HelsethFaculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, P.O. Box 422, Kristiansand, 4604, Norway.ORCID 0000-0002-6411-9057
Milada HagenFaculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, P.O. Box 422, Kristiansand, 4604, Norway.ORCID 0000-0001-8947-8649
Tonje Holte SteaFaculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, P.O. Box 422, Kristiansand, 4604, Norway.ORCID 0000-0002-3349-6706
Sandra NolteMelbourne Health Economics, Centre for Health Policy, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-6185-9423
Kristin HaraldstadFaculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, P.O. Box 422, Kristiansand, 4604, Norway.ORCID 0000-0002-7364-147X
University of Agder · NOOsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University · NOThe University of Melbourne · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundYouth healthcare services in Norway include a public health nurse (PHN) at school and local youth health centres (YHCs). They provide health services for all adolescents free of charge, focusing on health promotion and disease prevention. The present study aimed to assess possible associations between health-related quality of life (HRQoL), physical and mental health, over-the-counter analgesics (OTCA) use and use of youth healthcare services among 13-19-year-old adolescents.

methodsThis study was based on national, cross-sectional data from the Ungdata Survey conducted in 2022. The sample was comprised of 16 482 adolescents. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyse the associations between HRQoL, headaches, selected physical symptoms, psychological distress, use of OTCA, PHN availability, sociodemographic variables, and use of the PHN at school or at a YHC. The KIDSCREEN-10 was used to measure HRQoL, and the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist 10 was used to measure symptoms of psychological distress.

resultsGirls used the youth healthcare services more frequently than boys. Better HRQoL was significantly associated with fewer visits to the PHN at school. Girls reported lower HRQoL and mental health, and more pain and frequent OTCA use than boys. When having symptoms of psychological distress, boys had greater odds of visiting the PHN at school than girls. For girls in senior high school, headaches and OTCA use were strongly associated with visiting the PHN at school and the YHC. In senior high school, boys with an immigration background had greater odds of visiting the YHC than native Norwegian boys, while girls with an immigration background were less likely to visit the YHC than native Norwegian girls.

conclusionsOur results show that more girls than boys use youth healthcare services. When adolescents experience pain, have mental problems, use OTCA, or report low levels of HRQoL, they have greater odds of using youth healthcare services. Youth healthcare services offer excellent opportunities to support and follow up with adolescents. The findings provide important insights into youth healthcare services used by adolescents for various stakeholders, including PHNs and policy makers, with potential implications for future public health efforts.

Indexed as

Mental HealthNeuralgia, PostherpeticAdolescentAdultAnalgesicsCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHeadacheHumansMaleQuality of LifeYoung AdultAnalgesicsAdolescentsHeadacheHealth-related quality of lifeImmigrantMental healthOTC analgesicsPainPublic health nurseYouth healthcare servicesYouth health centre

Identifiers

PMID38183040
PMCPMC10770884
OpenAlexW4390604907

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.