How can health professionals enhance interpersonal communication with adolescents and young adults to improve health care outcomes?: systematic literature review

Abstract

Health care professionals’ interpersonal communication skills with adolescents and young adults play a vital role in early identification of issues, provision of emotional support, effective illness management and health education. The aim of this systematic review of research was to examine the literature on different aspects of interpersonal communication with young clients in health care settings, in order to understand barriers and facilitating factors in their communication for better health care outcomes. Twenty-three articles published between January 2004 and September 2014 were collected via CINAHL, Medline, PsycINFO and Sociological Abstracts. The findings revealed three major themes: (1) challenges of addressing sensitive and intimate aspects of young clients’ lives; (2) trust and sense of emotional safety was a prerequisite for open and engaging communication; and (3) importance of having a sense of inclusion and autonomy. Recommendations arising from the review were: (1) overcome the barriers in discussing health-related concerns that are sensitive in nature by developing routine screening and clear intervention pathways; (2) routinely inform young clients about legal and professional obligations in treating their information; (3) develop resources and training opportunities for health professionals to build ethical reasoning skills, skills to assess young clients’ cognitive competencies, and skills to assess situational contexts to better negotiate the dynamics between parents and a young client; and (4) increase awareness of the importance of humanistic engagements to promote open and engaging communication. Highlights• Young clients and health care providers experienced communication barriers when involving young clients’ sensitive and personal aspects of life. Strategies and tools could moderate these barriers for better psychosocial care and preventative health. • Trust and emotional safety was a critical element in communicating with young clients during health care visits, and this promoted open and engaging communication. • It was important for young clients to feel included and autonomous during health communication. Health care providers required specific skills to balance these needs with the influence of parents.