Abstract
The field of adolescent medicine is unique as a subspecialty in that the practice of providing care to teenagers has always been viewed historically as a responsibility of generalists. Scientific advances in subspecialty fields such as endocrinology, gynecology, gastroenterology, infectious disease, and sports medicine were incorporated with considerable success into the general practices of not only pediatricians but also internists and family practitioners. However, societal changes in the past century began to shape the way health professionals thought about adolescents and their families and significantly influenced the practice of providing health care to adolescents. The most notable change, however, was the shift from the traditional role of providing anticipatory guidance to parents toward a reduction of risk-taking behaviors aimed directly at the adolescent. The subspecialty of adolescent medicine thus emerged as an amalgam of researchers, clinicians, and educators, who, through a variety of settings, hoped to advance science, moderate public and social policy, improve health care, and stimulate health promotion to this special population of patients.
Similar content being viewed by others
Log in or create a free account to read this content
Gain free access to this article, as well as selected content from this journal and more on nature.com
or
REFERENCES
Greulich WW, Pyle SI 1950 Radiographic Atlas of Skeletal Development of the Hand and Wrist, 2nd ed . Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA, pp 1 – 256
Stuart HC 1938 Normal growth and development during adolescence . N Engl J Med 234 : 666 – 672, 693-700, 732–738
Marshall WA, Tanner JM 1969 Variations in pattern of pubertal changes in girls . Arch Dis Child 44 : 291 – 303
Marshall WA, Tanner JM 1970 Variations in the pattern of pubertal changes in boys . Arch Dis Child 45 : 13 – 23
Acheson RM, Vicinus JH, Fowler GB 1966 Studies in the reliability of assessing skeletal maturity from x-rays . Hum Biol 38 : 204 – 218
Brozek J 1966 Body composition: models and estimation equations . Am J Phys Anthropol 24 : 239 – 246
Frisch RE, McArthur JW 1974 Menstrual cycles: fatness as a determinant of minimum weight for height necessary for their maintenance or onset . Science 185 : 149 – 151
Wyshak G, Frisch RE 1982 Evidence for a secular trend in age of menarche . N Engl J Med 306 : 1033 – 1035
Herman-Giddens ME, Slora EJ, Wasserman RC, Bourdony CJ, Bhapkar MV, Koch GG, Hasemeier CM 1997 Secondary sex characteristics and menses in young girls seen in office practice: a study from the pediatric research in office settings network . Pediatrics 99 : 505 – 512
Boyar RM, Wu RH, Roffwarg H, Kapen S, Weitzman ED, Hellman L, Finkelstein JW 1976 Human puberty: 24-hour estradiol in pubertal girls . J Clin Endocrinol Metab 43 : 1418 – 1421
Zumoff B, Bradlow HL, Finkelstein J, Boyar RM, Hellman L 1976 The influence of age and sex on the metabolism of testosterone . J Clin Endocrinol Metab 42 : 703 – 706
Boyar R, Finkelstein J, Roffwarg H, Kapen S, Weitzman E, Hellman L 1972 Synchronization of augmented luteinizing hormone secretion with sleep during puberty . N Engl J Med 287 : 582 – 586
Finkelstein JW, Roffwarg HP, Boyar RM, Kream J, Hellman L 1972 Age-related change in the twenty-four hour spontaneous secretion of growth hormone . J Clin Endocrinol Metab 35 : 665 – 670
Reiter EO, Grumbach MM 1982 Neuroendocrine control mechanisms and the onset of puberty . Annu Rev Physiol 44 : 595 – 613
Salz JL, Daum F, Cohen MI 1973 Serum alkaline phosphatase activity during adolescence . J Pediatr 82 : 536 – 537
Bennett DL, Ward MS, Daniel WA 1976 The relationship of serum alkaline phosphatase concentrations to sex maturity ratings in adolescents . J Pediatr 88 : 633 – 636
Daniel WA Jr 1973 Hematocrit: maturity relationship in adolescence . Pediatrics 52 : 388 – 394
Hall GS 1904 Adolescence: Its Psychology and Its Relations to Anthropology, Sociology, Sex, Crime, Religion, and Education . D. Appleton and Company, New York
Piaget J, Inhelder B 1958 The Growth of Logical Thinking from Childhood to Adolescence . Basic, Books, New York, pp 1 – 384
Erikson E 1966 Eight ages of man . Int J Psychiatry 2 : 281 – 307
Elkind D 1998 All Grown Up and No Place To Go: Teenagers in Crisis, rev. ed . Perseus Books, Cambridge, MA, pp 40 – 45
Garmezy N 1991 Resilience in children's adaptation to negative life events and stressed environments . Pediatr Ann 20 : 459 – 460, 463–466
Rutter M 1979 Protective factors in children's response to stress and disadvantage . In: Kent MW, Rolf JE (eds) Primary Prevention of Psychopathology, Vol. 111—Social Competence in Children . University Press of New England, Hanover, NH, pp 49 – 74
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Surveillance Summaries June 9, 2000 Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2000 ; 49 ( No.SS-5 )
Weist MD, Ginsburg G, Shafer M 1999 Progress in adolescent mental health . AdolescMedSTARS 10 : 165 – 173
Bradley C 1938 The behavior of children receiving benzedrine . Am J Psychiatry 94 : 577 – 585
Barkley RA 1977 A review of stimulant drug research with hyperactive children . J Child Psychol Psychiatry 18 : 137 – 165
Daly JM, Wilens T 1998 The use of tricyclic antidepressants in children and adolescents . Pediatr Clin North Am 45 : 1123 – 1135
Gortmaker SL, Sappenfield W 1984 Chronic childhood disorders: prevalence and impact . Pediatr Clin North Am 31 : 3 – 18
Siegel EG, Mahan JD, Johnson RS 1994 Solid organ transplantation in adolescents: the blessing and the curse . Adolesc MedSTARS 5 : 293 – 309
Mulhern RK, Ochs J 1994 Caring for adolescent cancer survivors: surveillance and intervention for delayed sequelae of malignancy and its treatment . Adolesc Med-STARS 5 : 259 – 269
Birnkrant DJ, Hen J Jr, Stern RC 1994 The adolescent with cystic fibrosis . Adolesc MedSTARS 5 : 249 – 258
Fitzsimmons SC 1993 The changing epidemiology of cystic fibrosis . J Pediatr 122 : 1 – 9
Shennib H, Adoumie R, Noirclerc M 1992 Current status of lung transplantation for cystic fibrosis . Arch Intern Med 152 : 1585 – 1588
Torres JE, Riopelle MA 1993 History of colposcopy in the United States: chronology of colposcopy development worldwide . Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am 20 : 1 – 6
Beach RK Cervical findings and the Pap smear . In: Friedman SB, Fisher MM, Schonberg SK, Alderman EM (eds) Comprehensive Adolescent Health Care, 2nd ed . Mosby, St. Louis, MO, pp 1057 – 1072
Perissat J, Collet D, Monguiloon N 1998 Advances in laparoscopic surgery . Digestion 590 : 606 – 618
Haspel AA, Andriesse R 1973 The effect of large doses of estrogens post coitum in 2000 women . Eur J Obstet Gynaecol Reprod Biol 3 : 113 – 117
Yuzpe AA, Thurlow HJ, Ramzy I, Leyshon JI 1974 Post-coital contraception—a pilot study . J Reprod Med 13 : 53 – 58
Gold MA, Stewart BA 2000 The impact of using emergency contraception on reproductive behavior among sexually active adolescents in an inner-city clinic: a retrospective review . JAH 26 : 96
Fingerhut LA, Kleinman JC 1989 Trends and current status in childhood mortality, U.S. 1900-1985 . In: Vital and Health Statistics Series 3, no. 26 . National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, MD, pp 1 – 43
Singh S, Darroch JE 2000 Adolescent pregnancy and childbearing: levels and trends in developed countries . Fam Plann Perspect 32 : 14 – 23
Panchaud C, Singh S, Feivelson D, Darroch JE 2000 Sexually transmitted diseases among adolescents in developed countries . Fam Plann Perspect 32 : 24 – 32, 445
Fraser AM, Brockert JE, Ward RH 1995 Association of young maternal age with adverse reproductive outcomes . N Engl J Med 332 : 113 – 117
Abma JC, Chandra A, Mosher WD, Peterson LS, Piccinini LJ 1997 Fertility, family planning, and women's health: new data from the 1995 national survey of family growth . Vital Health Stat 23 : 1 – 11
Piccinino LJ, Mosher WD 1998 Trends in contraceptive use in the United States: 1982-1995 . Fam Plann Perspect 30 : 4 – 10, 45
Santow G, Bracher M 1999 Explaining trends in teenage childbearing in Sweden . Stud Fam Plann 30 : 169 – 182
Darroch J, Singh S 1999 Why is Teen Pregnancy Declining, the Role of Abstinence, Sexual Activity, and Contraceptive Use . The Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, pp 1 – 23
Gostin L, Arno PS, Brandt AM 1997 FDA regulation of tobacco advertising and youth smoking: historical, social and constitutional perspectives . JAMA 277 : 410 – 418
Nelson DE, Giovino GA, Shopland DR, Mowery PD, Mills SL, Eriksen MP 1995 Trends in cigarette smoking among US adolescents, 1974 through 1991 . Am J Public Health 85 : 34 – 40
Grunbaum J, Kann L, Kinchen SA 2002 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 2001 . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 51 : 62
[No authors listed] 1999 Cigarette smoking among high school students—11 states, 1991-1997 . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 48 : 686 – 692
Di Franza JR, Richards JW, Paulman PM, Wolf-Gillespie N, Fletcher C, Jaffe RD, Murray D 1991 RJR Nabisco's cartoon camel promotes Camel cigarettes to children . JAMA 266 : 3149 – 3153
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies 1999 Summary of Findings from the 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse . U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, MD, pp 1 – 138
Chemical Dependency Research Working Group 1994 Methadone Treatment Works: A Compendium for Methadone Maintenance Treatment . New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, pp 1 – 63
Comerci GD, Schwebel 2000 Substance abuse: an overview Adolesc Med STARS 11 : 79 – 101
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1996 Trends in rates of homicide, United States: 1985-1994 . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 45 : 460 – 464
Pratt HD, Greydanus DE 2000 Adolescent violence concepts for a new millennium . AdolecMedSTARS 11 : 103 – 125
Hennes H 1998 A review of violence statistics among children and adolescents in the United States . Pediatr Clin North Am 45 : 269 – 280
Williams KR 1984 Economic sources of homicide: re-estimating the effects of poverty and inequality . Am Soc Rev 49 : 283 – 289
Freed LH, Vernick JS, Hargarten SW 1998 Prevention of firearm-related injuries and deaths among youths . Pediatr Clin North Am 45 : 427 – 438
Melzer-Lange MD 1998 Violence and associated high-risk health behavior in adolescents: substance abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, and pregnancy of adolescents . Pediatr Clin North Am 45 : 307 – 317
Dyment PG (ed) 1991 Sports Medicine: Health Care for Young Athlete, 2nd ed . American Academy of Pediatrics, Elk Grove Village, IL, pp 147 – 161
[No authors listed] 1994 Medical conditions affecting sports participation . Pediatrics 94 : 757 – 760
Cogbill TH, Busch HM Jr, Stiers GR 1985 Farm accidents in children . Pediatrics 76 : 562 – 566
Kipke MD (ed) 1999 Risks and Opportunities: Synthesis of Studies on Adolescence . National Academy Press, Washington, DC, p 43
Landrigan PJ, Pollack SH, Godbold JH, Belville MA 1995 Occupational injuries: epidemiology, prevention and treatment . AdolecMedSTARS 6 : 207 – 215
Belville R, Pollack SH, Godbold J, Landrigan PJ 1993 Occupational injuries among working adolescents in New York State . JAMA 269 : 2754 – 2759
Troiano RP, Flegal KM 1998 The causes and health consequences of obesity in children and adolescents . Pediatrics 101 : 497 – 504
Dietz WH Jr, Gortmaker SL 1985 Do we fatten our children at the television set? . Pediatrics 75 : 807 – 812
Becker AE, Grinspoon SK, Klibanski A, Herzog DB 1999 Eating disorders . N Engl J Med 340 : 1092 – 1098
Bachrach LK, Guido D, Katzman D, Litt IF, Marcus R 1990 Decreased bone density in adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa . Pediatrics 86 : 440 – 447
Gallagher JR 1982 The origins, development and goals of adolescent medicine . J Adolesc Health Care 3 : 57 – 63
Heald F 1992 History of adolescent medicine: a personal perspective . In: Friedman SB, Fisher M, Schonberg SK (eds) Comprehensive Adolescent Health Care, 1st ed . Quality Medical Publishing, St. Louis, MO, pp 15 – 18
Hein K, Cohen MI, Litt IR, Schonberg SK, Meyers MM, Marks A, Sheehy AJ 1980 Juvenile detention: another boundary issue for physicians . Pediatrics 66 : 239 – 245
MacKenzie RG, Fisher MM 1998 The society for adolescent medicine's role in promoting education . J Adolesc Health 23S : 135 – 142
Brown RC, Cromer BA, Brookman RR, Moore E 1998 Introduction . J Adolesc Health 23S : 133 – 134
Holder AR 1985 Legal Issues in Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 2nd ed . Yale University Press, New Haven, pp 123 – 145
American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Adolescence, Position Paper: Confidentiality in Adolescent Health Care RE 9151-1989, reaffirmed 1993
Kipke MD (ed) 1999 Risks and Opportunities: Synthesis of Studies on Adolescence . National Academy Press, Washington, DC, pp 22 – 23
Edwards LF, Steinman ME, Arnold KA, Hadanson EY 1980 Adolescent pregnancy prevention services in high school clinics . Fam Plann Perspect 12 : 6 – 14
Report by the Task Force on Pediatric Education 1978 The Future of Pediatric Education . Evanston, IL
Cohen, MI 1980 Importance, implementation, and impact of the adolescent medicine components of the report of the Task Force on Pediatric Education . J Adolesc Health 1 : 1 – 8
Acknowledgements
The authors thank S. Kenneth Schonberg, Susan Coupey, Stanford Friedman, and Laurence Finberg for their thoughtful reviews of this manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Alderman, E., Rieder, J. & Cohen, M. The History of Adolescent Medicine. Pediatr Res 54, 137–147 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1203/01.PDR.0000069697.17980.7C
Received:
Accepted:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/01.PDR.0000069697.17980.7C
