A Minor’s Right to Confidentiality Essay Example

disease and substance abuse. FindLaw (2011) suggests incorporating contraceptive methods into the HIPAA policy for minors residing in states without laws or public policies on these matters.

Minors have the right to privacy regarding their medical information, particularly concerning pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, or drug addiction. This helps teenagers understand that responsible decision-making leads to more opportunities for decision-making.

Teenage sexual activity has been a public concern since the 1970s and while its rate remains steady, it has become more visible. The average age at which individuals get married is increasing as life expectancy rises but they are not waiting to engage in sexual activity.Sex and teenage pregnancy are often sensationalized by the media, leading to an idealized perception of these topics.Sex is widely used in entertainment media and marketing in the United States to attract consumers and sell products. To counter this influence, society needs guidance and practicality to promote a broader perspective on product benefits and uses while limiting sexual content. Controversial TV series like Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant have helped raise awareness about teenage pregnancy rates, leading to a decrease in these rates. Despite this progress, the United States still has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy among developed countries, according to Women's Health and Health Care Reform.

However, state and federal laws have made it easier for teenagers to access appropriate supplies and education regarding teenage pregnancy. Unfortunately, Indiana Republican Representative Mike Pence tried to eliminate the Title X program (known as the "Pence Bill"), which aimed at preventing organizations like Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funds for any reason. This amendment sought to use pro-life taxpayers' money for funding abortion promotion

purposes.

The ongoing national debate revolves around eliminating support for abortion services. However, local clinics continue providing necessary health services to many teenagers despite this controversy. According to Planned Parenthood, abortions accounted for less than 3% of their services in 2009, with a total of 332,278 procedures performed.In addition, they performed 830,000 breast tests and offered testing and/or treatment for sexually transmitted diseases to approximately 4 million individuals. Public policy is crucial in safeguarding teenagers by preventing diseases and unwanted pregnancies, but this protection is limited to specific minors in Michigan whereas other states have stricter policies. The Guttmacher Institute's report on public policy supports professional organizations that advocate for confidential reproductive health care for minors based on scientific evidence, despite uncertain public opinions. However, recent developments in state and federal public policy indicate potential future threats to teenagers' access to confidential services (2005). History has shown that children will continue engaging in sexual activity, contracting diseases, and experiencing pregnancy. The text highlights the importance of laws protecting reproductive health privacy as it enhances patients' access to protection. Planned Parenthood plays a vital role in providing education and protection for millions of adolescents; however, withdrawing support for these programs reduces access to education, treatment, and supplies which contributes to an increase in diseases and unwanted pregnancies leading to higher poverty rates. Although abstinence is the preferred method for preventing unwanted pregnancies and diseases, evidence suggests its general ineffectiveness.Ensuring protection for adolescents is crucial in all societies to promote responsibility and personal growth. Pursuing necessary protection and education, even with limited access, demonstrates maturity and responsibility (Chavkin et al., 2010) (FindLaw, 2011). The following text contains hyperlinks

and their respective contents:

- http://www.findlaw.com/state-laws/minors-and-the-law/michigan/ provides information on state laws regarding minors.
- Guttmacher Institute.(2005, November).Teenagers’ access to confidential reproductive health services [The Guttmacher study on public policy] - http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/tgr/08/4/gr080406.html by Mary Beth Kirven.E. &Daniel J. Hall (2003, June).
- http://www.ncsconline.org/WC/Publications/CS_PriPubHIPPA96Pub.pdf offers a publication discussing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 by Miller, J., LaVaute, G., &Heritage Media (2011, March).
- http://www.heritage.com/articles/2011/03/01/life/doc4d6d5ec57105e610360187.txt?viewmode=fullstory shares an article related to the topic.