Health
AMA clarifies policy on adolescents seeking confidential care
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Dec. 27, 2004
In an effort to encourage sexually active adolescents to seek medical care, the American Medical Association's House of Delegates at its December Interim Meeting in Atlanta strengthened its policy on confidentiality and privacy in that area.
The AMA made it clear in the policy that sexual abuse and sexual activity are not synonymous. Physicians feared that the issue was becoming blurred and adolescents were less likely to seek care as some state lawmakers push mandatory reporting requirements despite a physician's clinical judgment on whether the sexual activity was consensual or abusive.
The AMA will develop and distribute information that offers guidance to physicians on how to remove barriers that sexually active adolescents seeking confidential care may face. The AMA also will develop model legislation that supports AMA policy on adolescent sexual activity and confidentiality.
Delegates called for six principles to be considered when developing public policies, including open and confidential communication between health professionals and adolescents so that doctors can identify the majority of sexual abuse cases and report them as their state laws require.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/12/27/hlbf1227.htm.
