Child and Adolescent Wellness Workgroup
Public Group active %sGarrett County is often the lowest county in the state for yearly adolescent well child checks. It is important for the children and adolescents of our community to be seen yearly for this preventive visit where we can ensure that these children are healthy and developing normally. Age-appropriate education and screening are also completed at a well-child visit as well as updating immunizations if needed. And, a yearly well child check can help to catch problems early, when they may be easier to treat. Let’s share ideas and collaborate on ways to increase awareness and get our adolescents in to see their doctor for a yearly preventive exam.
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Experience of Pregnancy as a Teen (931.4k)
Teenage pregnancy has a history of being a “social problem” in the United States, with there
being higher rates in rural communities. Social support, a contributor to improving mental health
outcomes, can significantly impact a teenager’s pregnancy and parenting experience. Using House’s
(1981) social support framework, this study explores the teenagers’ perceptions of how their rural
community reacted and responded to them as pregnant and parenting teenagers. The results were
formulated through the thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews (n = 26) with current and
former pregnant and/or parenting teenagers. The participants reported experiencing both positive
and negative social support. There were more reports of emotional support and instrumental support
among the forms of positive support than there were in the other categories. Informational support
was lacking. The appraisal support from community members was negative. There is a need for rural
communities to develop effective social support strategies to provide positive support for pregnant
and parenting teenagers.