Why teenagers put rocks in their ears. Hidden drugs and confidentiality.
Just before and during the arrest procedure, juveniles may hide drugs within the body, an act called "body stuffing." The type and quantity of drug, its container, and the hiding place modify the potential toxicity of the contraband drug. The discovery of drug contraband by medical personnel raises an ethical issue regarding confidentiality. Responsibility for prison security rests primarily with the correctional staff, not with the medical staff. The need for trust between the physician and the adolescent in the detention setting is important. Appropriate medical and psychologic intervention can only be instituted if the detainee trusts and cooperates with the physician.
Morris
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Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Los Angeles 90024.
D000293:Adolescent; D003219:Confidentiality; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies; D006801:Humans; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011329:Prisoners; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection