The laboratory's role in serving adolescent patients

Abstract

Although adolescence is generally considered to be a time of good health, health problems do occur during these years. Laboratory professionals need to be aware of these problems so that adolescent patients can be treated properly. The major issues for today's adolescents are pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, drugs of abuse, eating disorders, infections, accidents, and suicides. We describe the prevalence of many of these conditions and discuss the laboratory tests that are used to diagnose or monitor these problems. The aim of this article is to heighten the awareness of laboratorians and clinicians to the challenges of adolescent medicine.