HEADSS assessment
Also written as: HEADSS — Home, Education, Activities, Drugs, Sexuality, Suicide/depression
A psychosocial screening tool for adolescents covering Home, Education, Activities, Drugs, Sexuality, and Suicide/depression.
Full Definition
The HEADSS assessment is a systematic framework designed to evaluate key psychosocial risk factors in adolescent patients. Each letter represents a critical domain: Home environment and relationships, Education and employment, peer group Activities, Drug and alcohol use, Sexuality, and Suicide/depression and mental health. This structured approach ensures comprehensive screening during adolescent healthcare encounters and helps identify areas requiring intervention or referral to specialized services.
Usage
Usage note: Always capitalize all letters in HEADSS. Some variations include additional S's (HEEADSSS) but the standard form uses six letters.
In Context
- "A thorough HEADSS assessment revealed concerns about peer relationships and academic performance." — Adolescent clinic note
- "The annual physical should include a complete HEADSS evaluation for all teenage patients." — Clinical guideline