Without parental consent: conducting research with homeless adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the ethical and legal implications of conducting research with homeless adolescents and to discuss guidelines for conducting research without parental consent.


CONCLUSIONS
Ethical principles of capacity, risk, postponement, and truthful disclosure within the context of the rights of minors to consent to healthcare treatment form the basis of the argument for allowing adolescents to consent to participate in research without parental consent when there is minimal risk or when such consent could place them at increased risk for harm.


CONCLUSIONS
Adolescents who are the target population for clinical research or who are intended recipients of nursing care should be involved in setting priorities, purposes, and protocols. Parents and other adults from their communities should be included in developing strategies to protect their confidentiality and privacy while helping them achieve autonomy in making informed health-related decisions.
Rew
L
L
School of Nursing, University of Texas at Austin, USA. ellerew@mail.utexas.edu
Taylor-Seehafer
M
M
Thomas
N
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002651:Child Advocacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003219:Confidentiality / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D004993:Ethics, Nursing; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006304:Health Status; D018453:Homeless Youth / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D015399:Nursing Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010290:Parents; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D014481:United States