Characterization of the most common diagnoses in a population of adolescents and young adults attended by a Healthcare Service Provider (HSP) in Bogotá, Colombia.

Abstract

Objective: Characterize the most frequently used ICD-10 diagnoses and procedures in the population aged 13-24 receiving care at Javesalud Healthcare Service Provider (HSP) in Bogotá, Colombia.

Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted. Through the statistical program R Studio, a database provided by the HSP was analyzed, considering variables such as type of identification document, sex, age, primary ICD-10 diagnosis code, and consultation date. Patients aged between 13 and 24 attended by this HSP between June 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023, for 11.802 consultations, were included in the study.

Results: The analysis show a difference in the number of consultations according to gender (female/male ratio of 2.1:1), with a higher number of consultations from the young adult population (aged 19-24 years), who accounted for 57.4 % of the consultations. The data obtained indicates that the most frequent procedures involve promotion and prevention activities related to sexual and reproductive health, representing approximately 15 % of the consultations. Furthermore, the prevalence of various diagnoses was distributed differently according to the sex and age of the patients. For females, the most frequent diagnoses were similar but in different proportions, unlike males, where the main reasons for consultation behavior differed for each age group. While in adolescents, there is a predominance of two subgroups: dermatological diagnoses and follow-up exams, in young adults, HIV infection counseling predominates.

Conclusions: Adolescents and young adults constitute a group with epidemiological characteristics of great complexity, marked by a multitude of variables and significant interpersonal diversity. Therefore, it is imperative to conduct detailed studies in this age group and, at the same time, implement strategies that contribute to the promotion of their development and future well-being.