General practitioners' attitudes to sexual activity in under-sixteens

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Adolescent Medicine
• General Practice

Background:

• The Gillick ruling in the UK permits contraceptive care for under-sixteens without parental consent.
• Teenagers often have concerns regarding confidentiality and fear of judgment when seeking sexual health services.
• Understanding general practitioners' (GPs) attitudes is crucial for effective adolescent contraceptive care delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess general practitioners' (GPs) attitudes in North and East Devon towards the Gillick ruling.
• To evaluate GPs' perspectives on confidentiality for under-sixteen patients seeking contraceptive services.
• To identify potential barriers to adolescent access to sexual health advice.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to general practitioners (GPs) in North and East Devon.
• GPs indicated their agreement or disagreement with statements regarding the Gillick ruling and confidentiality.
• Response rate was 73% (235 out of 322 GPs).

Main Results:

• A significant majority of responding GPs (93.5%) affirmed the duty of confidentiality for under-sixteens.
• However, 76% of GPs expressed a preference for parental involvement in contraceptive consultations.
• Only a small minority of GPs (3%) believed contraception provision encourages underage sexual activity.

Conclusions:

• GPs generally support the principle of confidentiality for adolescent contraceptive care.
• A notable preference for parental notification exists among GPs, which may discourage teenagers from seeking advice.
• Addressing teenagers' concerns about confidentiality is essential to ensure access to sexual health services.