Confidentiality in Health Care

TLDR

Confidentiality concerns are essential for effective adolescent health care. The study sought to assess adolescents’ knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes about health‑care confidentiality. Researchers administered an anonymous 64‑item survey to 1,295 ninth‑ through twelfth‑grade students from rural, suburban, and urban high schools in central Massachusetts. Findings revealed that 58% of students wished to keep health concerns private from parents, 69% from peers, 25% would forgo care if parents could find out, only 57% would seek help for sensitive issues from their regular physician, and 68% were concerned about school health‑center privacy, indicating many adolescents would avoid care due to confidentiality worries.

Abstract

To assess adolescent knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes about health care confidentiality.Anonymous self-report survey with 64 items addressing confidentiality issues in health care.Rural, suburban, and urban high schools in central Massachusetts.Students in ninth through 12th grades from three schools.A total of 1295 students (87%) completed the survey: 58% had health concerns that they wished to keep private from their parents, and 69% from friends and classmates; 25% reported that they would forgo health care in some situations if their parents might find out. There were differences in response by gender, race, and school. About one third were aware of a right to confidentiality for specific health issues. Of those with a regular source of care, 86% would go to their regular physician for a physical illness, while only 57% would go there for questions about pregnancy, the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or substance abuse that they wished to keep private. Sixty-eight percent had concerns about the privacy of a school health center.A majority of adolescents have concerns they wish to keep confidential and a striking percentage report they would not seek health services because of these concerns. Interventions to address confidentiality issues are thus crucial to effective adolescent health care.