Teenagers are just like any other group of people. They laugh, cry, feel happy, feel sad, and want to be treated like adults. So it comes to no shock that they do actually get treated the way they want in the medical field. When teens have to seek medical treatment, most prefer to have everything be confidential. Some fear that if their parents are involved, they’ll interfere and cause problems the teen doesn’t know how to deal with, which doesn’t allow them to grow, mature and take responsibility like an adult. If an adult does interfere with what the teen decides regarding his/her health care, that teen is more likely to drop treatment in general – which could most definitely cause health problems nobody wants to actively deal with. Teen
…show more content…
“Nearly 1 in 3 high school girls and nearly 1 in 4 high school boys admitted to needing medical care but not seeing a doctor because they didn’t want their parents to know” (“Teen Confidentiality” 1). In other words, if the parents know the teen needs medical care, that teen won’t actively seek it, which completely disregards medical treatment in general. Therefore, parents need to be mindful of their teen’s privacy. If they are mindful, the relationship between themselves and the teen (and the teen and the medical provider) will be greater than if the parent interjected. “Ideally, children should feel like their parents are on their side” (Swick 1). Teens need to have their parent’s support at all times, especially when they feel the need to be confidential about their medical information. If the parent understands the teen’s feelings on being confidential, there shouldn’t be any problems for anyone involved. Teens that give their own consent and have good relationships with their parents and their medical provider(s) are exposed to more responsibility in the adult world. In addition, good parent/teen relationships are ideal not only regarding health care confidentiality but also regarding drug use/abuse. “Teens with strong ties to their parents are less likely to use drugs/alcohol” (Barker 3). In order for a teen to mature and take more responsibility, he/she’ll need medical comfort which, more often than not, does include
“Nearly 1 in 3 high school girls and nearly 1 in 4 high school boys admitted to needing medical care but not seeing a doctor because they didn’t want their parents to know” (“Teen Confidentiality” 1). In other words, if the parents know the teen needs medical care, that teen won’t actively seek it, which completely disregards medical treatment in general. Therefore, parents need to be mindful of their teen’s privacy. If they are mindful, the relationship between themselves and the teen (and the teen and the medical provider) will be greater than if the parent interjected. “Ideally, children should feel like their parents are on their side” (Swick 1). Teens need to have their parent’s support at all times, especially when they feel the need to be confidential about their medical information. If the parent understands the teen’s feelings on being confidential, there shouldn’t be any problems for anyone involved. Teens that give their own consent and have good relationships with their parents and their medical provider(s) are exposed to more responsibility in the adult world. In addition, good parent/teen relationships are ideal not only regarding health care confidentiality but also regarding drug use/abuse. “Teens with strong ties to their parents are less likely to use drugs/alcohol” (Barker 3). In order for a teen to mature and take more responsibility, he/she’ll need medical comfort which, more often than not, does include