[Privacy and confidentiality in adolescent health care: perceptions and behavior of a group of 711 college students].
OBJECTIVE
To understand the opinion and behavior of a group of college students about the degree of privacy considered appropriate in several clinical settings and in which situations breach of confidentiality is admitted.


METHODS
An anonymous questionnaire about confidentiality in clinical settings was answered by 711 college students. The study had a transversal, descriptive, qualitative-quantitative design. We studied recognition of the ethical criteria for confidentiality limitation, and in which situations, common in adolescent morbidity, disclosure of this information is accepted. Data analysis used Epi-Info 6.04 and Microsoft Excel, 1997. The research was approved by PUCRS' IRB.


RESULTS
The ideal situation for disclosing information was considered by 82% of the adolescents as the previous granting of authorization, which differs from other forms of breaching confidentiality. In cases of non-authorized disclosure, most of them admitted that it in case of suicidal ideation (85%), violence (84.2%), sexual abuse (81.7%), nervous anorexia (81.3%) and risk of life to third parties (72.3%). Half of them agree to it in HIV/AIDS (57.9%), drug abuse (51.7%) and STD (44.7%) situations; less than one third accept it in situations of pregnancy (33.6%), homosexuality (20.7%) and sexual activity (15.6%).


CONCLUSIONS
Participants assigned different grades to the value of confidentiality in their health care, accepting that information may be disclosed to others when the patient authorizes it. The higher the risk to their integrity, the easier it was for them to admit non-authorized disclosure of information, however in aspects related to their sexuality disclosure is practically denied.
Programa de Pós-Graduação de Ciências Médicas, Faculdade de Medicina, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2400, CEP 90035-003 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. ppgped@vortex.ufrgs.br
Jussara de Azambuja
Jde A
Loch
Joaquim
J
Clotet
José Roberto
JR
Goldim
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D003219:Confidentiality; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D030881:Disclosure; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D028701:Patient Rights; D010465:Perception; D010819:Physician's Role; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013334:Students