Adolescent health care use: Investigating related determinants in Greece

The frequency of health care use is crucial for adolescent well-being and health systems. The present study was the first to test a set of variables in a representative sample of Greek adolescents in order to identify factors that predict health care use and contribute to improving health service planning. Questionnaires were administered to a random sample of adolescents (N = 1 194) aged 11-18 years and their parents (N = 973) in 2003. Data from 894 participants with full data were analyzed. Parents education, adolescents' chronic health needs, physical well-being and emotional/behavioural problems as well as parent-child relationship were independent predictors of health care use, although some factors, such as gender, age, type of residence, family affluence, social support and parental health status that previous research identified as predictors were not confirmed. Beyond the need of health care, other factors also play an important role in the utilization of health services by adolescents and their families. (C) 2009 The Association for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.