COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES FOR ADOLESCENTS IN CÓRDOBA CAPITAL, ARGENTINA.

Abstract: Introduction: The comprehensiveness in the care of adolescents promotes the participation and articulation of actors around comprehensive health; it considers the biological, psychological, social, and cultural dimensions of people at this stage of life and recognizes the importance of offering adequate and accessible health services that respond to their specific needs and interests. Objectives: To analyze the available services for comprehensive health care for adolescents in Córdoba capital, Argentina. Materials and Methods: A qualitative-quantitative investigation was carried out in public and private health services in the City of Córdoba. Techniques: 1- Online survey of the offer. 2- Analysis of documents from provincial (15), municipal (10), and private (14) establishments. 3- For the study of care dynamics, in-depth interviews were conducted with members of health teams from the institutions. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed individually and in groups following the Grounded Theory and the constant comparative method, codes were assigned, matrices were constructed, and descriptive categories were elaborated. Informed consent was obtained to participate in the study. Results: Services that offer comprehensive care for adolescents: 5 hospitals, 2 maternities, and 8 primary care centers under provincial management; 1 center under municipal management; 2 centers under private management, and another 2 that offer child-juvenile sub-specialties. Descriptive categories that emerge from the analysis of interviews: team composition and professional training; care actions for adolescents; community and intersectoral activities; age group and care schedule; problems that they address more frequently; care modality; demands on the system. Conclusion: Comprehensive care for adolescents is a challenge for health institutions in Córdoba capital, as there are few that have specialized services for this population. The interviewed professionals expressed difficulties in addressing the health of adolescents with a comprehensive perspective, but they also showed practices oriented to this approach and potential for interdisciplinary work.