201. An Exploration of Parent and Youth Roles in Diagnostic Testing for Growth Hormone Deficiency

Youth medical decision-making involvement has been explored with respect to treatment of chronic health conditions (e.g., type 1 diabetes) and is linked to greater treatment adherence and self-efficacy. However, little is known about youth’s role with respect to medical testing and diagnostic procedures. As part of the evaluation of short stature, youth may undergo stimulation tests that measure growth hormone (GH) secretory capacity to determine possible GH deficiency. Testing lasts about three hours and involves specialized nursing, an in-dwelling intravenous catheter (IV) for serial blood sampling, and two medications with potential side effects.