PEDIATRICIANS VIEWS OF ACCESS TO HEALTH-SERVICES FOR ADOLESCENTS

Purpose: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) carried out a member survey to measure pediatricians' views of parental permission and not ification for selected health services for two age groups of adolescen ts, the 13 to 15 year olds and the 16 to 17 year olds. Methods: Throug h an AAP Periodic Survey, a sample of 1000 members of the AAP were sen t questionnaires to fill out and return. The response rate was 77%. Re sults: The majority of pediatricians in all groups examined believed p arental permission and notification were important for general medical and surgical care. But for most other types of care delineated, relat ed to substance abuse and sexuality, most pediatricians did not believ e parental permission should be required, except for requests for abor tion for 13-15 year olds. For several types of care most pediatricians believed parental notification should be required for 13-15 year olds . Older pediatricians, male pediatricians, and self-employed pediatric ians were more apt to support both parental permission and notificatio n for all types of care. When age, gender and self versus not self-emp loyed were introduced together through a logistic regression procedure differences in views were accounted for by self versus not self-emplo yed, and age and gender had no additional impact. Conclusions: Most pe diatricians supported the right of minors to seek care without parenta l permission for care related to substance abuse and sexuality. The ma jority were less likely to grant confidentiality to adolescents, parti cularly those 13 to 15 years.