title: An exploration of the ethical, legal and developmental issues in the care of an adolescent patient.
abstract: Providers of health care to adolescent patients face numerous challenges. In addition to increased risk for many health problems, adolescent patients may bring complex ethical, legal and developmental questions to bear as they seek medical services. This article describes the case of one such adolescent patient and discusses some of the attendant issues faced by her physician. For example, providing reproductive health care to teenage patients without the knowledge of parents or guardians requires familiarity on the part of providers with relevant state and federal law. Additionally, providers must be aware of financial barriers and they need to acquaint themselves with available services such as New York State's Family Planning Benefit Program. Attention to their patients' stages of cognitive and emotional development should inform providers' advice to adolescents, and an understanding of the importance that supportive adult relationships play during adolescence is essential to fostering healthy development. Open communication between adolescent patients and their parents or guardians should be encouraged, while maintaining the primary obligation of providing confidential care.
authors.affiliation: Division of Adolescent Medicine/Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, Department of Pediatrics, New York, NY 10128, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Summers
authors.forename: Ivanya
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alpert
authors.forename: Thaina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rousseau-Pierre
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minguez
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manigault
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nucci
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diaz
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003142:Communication; D003219:Confidentiality; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D007357:Insurance, Physician Services; D033242:Minors / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D009519:New York City; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D033282:Parental Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D034121:Reproductive Health Services / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012725:Sexual Behavior
chemical_list: D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female