Health needs of adolescents from the perspective of Primary Health Care professionals.

five empirical categories emerged: Adolescent and adolescence, Individual and social group needs, Political and normative organization, Professional, team and intersectoral actions and Potentials and limits in adolescent care. The concept of adolescence is based on stereotypes and a fragile articulation to social, economic, political and historical contexts. The professionals recognize the demands compatible with the Primary Care programmatic actions as needs, but they do not have enough instruments to deal with the group peculiarities. The absence of goals in the Municipal Health Plan equals adolescents to other social groups and offers them the same menu of needs.