title: Communication with our teens: associations between confidential service and parent-teen communication.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Many recent attempts have been made to eliminate health services minors can receive without parental consent or notification. One argument is that these "confidential" services undermine the parent-teen relationship. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether confidential services impact adolescent's communication with parents about their health.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study included 59 adolescents (ages 12-21) seeking health services at an urban teen clinic in Minneapolis, MN. Participants were divided based on reasons for presenting at the clinic; confidential or non-confidential services. The main outcome variables were the following: discussion of clinic visit with parent, discussion of reason for clinic visit with parent, and communication with parent if diagnosed with a potentially serious health condition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The two groups were equally divided; 42.4% came for non-confidential services and 57.6% came for confidential services. Of the 59 participants, 69.5% told their parents they were coming to clinic. However, only 43.1% reported they would not tell their parent if they had a serious health problem; there was an equal split between the confidential services and non-confidential services groups. A statistical difference was not found between the confidential services and non-confidential services groups for any of the outcome variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obtaining confidential services was not a barrier to discussion with parents about clinic visit, reasons for coming to clinic, or telling their parent if they had a serious health care problem. Clinicians should continue to advocate for confidential services while encouraging open communication between adolescents and their parents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. slerand@mcw.edu
authors.forename: Sarah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lerand
authors.forename: Marjorie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ireland
authors.forename: Kerri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boutelle
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services; D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D003142:Communication; D003219:Confidentiality; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008910:Minnesota; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D033282:Parental Consent; D035622:Parental Notification; D034121:Reproductive Health Services; D014505:Urban Population