Purpose: Adolescents experience challenges managing their chronic conditions, partly owing to limited involvement in medical visits. Because adolescents are "digital natives," providing a specific Web site with educational resources may support better adolescent-provider communication. Our purpose was to determine adolescents' opinions about a health communication-focused Web site.
Methods: Sixty English-speaking adolescents aged 11-17 years with a chronic health condition (mean age: 13.3 years; SD 1.9) were enrolled at a pediatric clinic in rural North Carolina.
Results: Adolescents most commonly accessed YouTube and Google for online health information. Nearly all adolescents supported the creation of a Web site and resources on how to communicate with their healthcare provider. Adolescents most often wanted to talk to specialists about their health and to pharmacists about their medications.
Conclusions: A Web site and educational resources are currently being codeveloped with adolescents. It is essential that we find ways to engage adolescents in their healthcare management.
Keywords: Adolescent; Digital technology; Internet; Patient education; Patient-provider communication; Telemedicine; Website; Youth.
Copyright © 2020 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.