title: Achieving a decision-making triad in adolescent sexual health care.
abstract: It is well known that adolescents delay and avoid sexual health care and fail to disclose necessary information to providers when their confidentiality is not ensured. However, it is not always clear if adolescents are psychosocially, affectively, or cognitively ready for independent decision-making. Whether confidentiality can and should be maintained necessitates that parents and providers have an understanding of adolescents' need for confidentiality. This article explores the concepts of confidentiality and consent in the context of teenage development and behaviors and addresses the complexity of the decision-making triad in adolescent sexual health care.
authors: Johns Hopkins University, USA. apadon@jhsph.edu
authors: Alisa A
authors: AA
authors: Padon
authors: Jill M
authors: JM
authors: Baren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000295:Adolescent Medicine / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003219:Confidentiality; D003657:Decision Making; D030881:Disclosure; D006801:Humans; D010290:Parents; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D034121:Reproductive Health Services / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012725:Sexual Behavior