Health - what teens want, what they really, really want

NEW ONLINE CLINIC REMOVES BARRIERS FOR
TEENS SEEKING HEALTH INFORMATION

Hot Talk Conversation in www.cyberisle.org:

Teen 1: I just like to say, like myself I am self conscious about being over weight and I need help!!!! I just can't seem to lose the weight. HELP ME!!!!

Teen 2: You know, I feel the same way you do. Maybe we can do something together about this...

Teen 1: I am so glad that I found someone like you. Maybe we can chat about our problems together, and figure out whats wrong. Just contact me anytime, if you need help, or anything like this. I am so glad you contacted me.

This is just one chatline conversation where two teens are helping each other through website initiatives created by youth and the TeenNet Project, based at the University of Toronto (U of T).

Teenagers can now forget about embarrassment and easily access sensitive health information and peer advice through the pioneering virtual teen health centre, Teen Clinic Online. A component of www.cyberisle.org, the virtual clinic was set up after U of T research found that youth were dissatisfied with existing health information sources, including some online resources.

Teen Clinic Online was officially launched to more than 60 students at Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute in Toronto on Wednesday, Dec. 20 from 9 a.m. Co-op students from the school were involved in the clinics creation.

Teens can visit several rooms in the virtual clinic (games room, pharmacy, hangout etc) to find information, ask questions or chat with peers on topics such as sexuality, drugs, body art, mental health and eating disorders. The rooms also contain pointers on where to go for further advice and suggest questions to ask health practitioners or counsellors.

Funded by the Health Infostructure Support Program of Health Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children Foundation, Teen Clinic Online is the latest addition to CyberIsle, a virtual adult-free island developed by the TeenNet project.       

TeenNet was launched in 1995 by U of T's Department of Public Health Sciences and is a pioneer in high tech health promotion for teens. To date TeenNet websites have had more than 2.5 million hits while www.cyberisle.org has nearly 30,000 registered users.

TeenNet leader Dr Harvey Skinner said web technology was a great way to engage youth due to its interactivity and anonymity but youth are often overwhelmed by the volume of health information provided through the Net.There was a need for a new component to CyberIsle that detailed health issues in a way that was relevant to youth. Teenagers main need was, ‘How to I get my health question answered in a way I can trust?," he said.

TeenNet worked alongside youth advisers to identify the appropriate health topics and how they should be presented. The TeenNet team then liaised with adolescent health practitioners, teachers, the Hospital for Sick Children and other allied health professionals to ensure the most up to date, accurate and highest quality information was provided.

Teen Clinic links to chat rooms in CyberIsle (Hot Talk) which have proved to be the most popular element of the teen island: "Through talking to each other online, youth can discover they are not alone in experiencing particular problems and can receive help and encouragement," Dr Skinner said.

The completion of Teen Clinic adds to the existing components of CyberIsle including the Smoking Zine, which offers teens information on why they smoke, their smoking habits and how to change their lifestyle.Future TeenNet projects include a new Practitioner Web site, PractitionerNet, for adolescent health practitioners. This will provide comprehensive resources for practitioners on how they can use information technology (specifically Teen Clinic Online) in their work with youth. PractitionerNet is due for completion early next year.

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Notes:For background information on the Teen Net project please visit www.teennetproject.org.

To preview the Teen Clinic, go to www.cyberisle.org and enter using the nickname guest" and password guest". Once in CyberIsle, click on the Teen Clinic icon.

For more information on Teen Clinic, CyberIsle and TeenNet please contact:

Dr. Harvey Skinner
Professor and Chair
Department of Public Health Sciences
Tel: (416) 978- 8989
E-mail: harvey.skinner@utoronto.ca