As a health care provider, your own set of beliefs, based on your knowledge, experience, and level of
tolerance in dealing with particular situations, will set the standard in providing developmentally-appropriate
health care to youth and their families. Health care providers interfacing with youth may be confronted with
difficult situations where this particular belief system may be “tested”, if not challenged. Particular examples
relate to health risk-taking behaviors; 80% of adolescents in North America are deemed to be physically and
psychologically healthy, and the rate of chronic illness is quoted in the literature as up to 10%.
When a health care provider is confronted with a particularly challenging situation that causes him/her to be in
a ‘dilemma’, i.e. a youth is seeking options counselling due to unwanted pregnancy, it is suggested that the
health care provider consult with a colleague or refer the youth for developmentally-appropriate care.