Differences in Receipt of Time Alone with Healthcare Providers Among US Youth Ages 12-17

Time to meet privately with a health care provider can support optimal adolescent health, but numerous barriers exist to implementing this practice routinely.

We examined parent reports on their children aged 12 to 17 from a nationally generalizable sample to quantify the presence of time alone with health care providers at the state and national level, as well as socio-contextual correlates using logistic regression analysis.

We estimated that only 1 in 2 adolescents had a confidential discussion at their last medical visit. Certain child, family, and health care factors were associated with lower likelihood for having had confidential discussions. Specifically, adolescents who were Asian; did not have mental, emotional, or behavioral problems; were uninsured; or lived in households with parents who were immigrants, less educated, or did not speak English had significantly lower odds for having had time alone compared with referent groups.

Clinical and structural efforts to rectify these gaps may assist a broader share of youth in benefiting from private health care discussions with providers.