Table 1 World Health Organization (WHO) youth friendliness criteria (modified from [4]) and related aspects contained in the Swedish youth clinics’ most recent handbook [34] (table developed by the authors)
WHO domain | Strategies within the FSUM handbook/policy |
|---|---|
Accessibility: • Policies and procedures to ensure that services are free or affordable • Convenient opening hours and location • Youths know about the services and how to get them • Community supports services and understands benefits • Outreach work towards community | • All visits should be free of charge • Staffing, opening hours, facilities and methods adapted to local setting • Youths should be able to make contact through telephone or IT-based solutions • Promote drop-in visits • Outreach work through school class visits to the clinic, visits to schools and participation in arrangements in the community |
Acceptability • Policies and procedures to ensure confidentiality • Attitudes of providers: provide information, support youths’ decision-making, motivated, non-judgmental, able to dedicate time • Adequate environment: privacy, physical safety • Youths monitoring the services | • Staff must meet youths with respect and understanding in a safe environment • Youths who seek help should understand the rules regulating confidentiality and privacy • Dedicate time to quality and safety work • Evaluate the services provided through surveys for youths |
Equitable • Policies and procedures that do not hinder services and that consider aspects that might be an obstacle for equitable care • Professionals treat all youths with equal respect, independently of their status. | • Provide equitable care regardless of personal characteristics, place of residence, age, gender, disability, education, social status, ethnic and/or religious affiliation or sexual orientation • The youth clinic must have good procedures for interpretation in different languages • Usage of a norm-critical approach |
Appropriateness • Care to fulfil needs of youths is provided through health services and/or referral to other services • Professionals respond adequately to youth health needs and take other issues that can affect the youths into consideration | • To have a holistic approach, see youths in the social context where they are embedded • Youth clinics should always work on behalf of the youths • Multidisciplinary teams with broad expertise to meet the needs of young people • The psychosocial perspective is integrated in all visits |
Effective • Professionals with required competence • Care is guided by protocols and guidelines • Equipment and other resources for adequate care exist | • National guidelines and rules should be applied, for example concerning partner tracing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections • Economic conditions that support activities in relation to the goal • To have a common understanding of what quality work constitutes of |
• All domains in general | • All the work should be based upon human rights and the youth clinics should be part of the democratic society • Work for promotion of youths’ health • Youth clinics have a mission to promote sexual and reproductive health in a public health perspective |