May I read your medical record?

Tweet

You are in the right place to comment on my article, "May I read your medical record?" Some of the highlights are posted below:

May I read your medical record?

By Domanique F. Culpepper, MPA, RHIA, CPhT

Every visit you make to a doctor’s office is recorded in standardized medical codes. Your surgeries, emergency room visits, and even medication refills, they are all translated into standardized medical codes. These codes tell a medical story about your life. Have you ever stopped to think whether you care about who reads your medical record?

We are able to determine the diseases that affect certain races and age groups. For example, codes within the 250 series, which pertain to Diabetes Mellitus, are commonly documented within the medical records of Blacks... 414 series, which pertains to heart disease. Other health conditions and diseases, such as pregnancies, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), and accidents, for example, are all similarly documented.

The medical record is also a legal document, and can be used in court for various reasons. A few examples of court cases that may require subpoena of a medical record could be domestic violence, rape, or mental capacity determination. I used to professionally review medical records to determine whether claimants met the criteria for specific disabilities, according to Social Security Administration (SSA) guidelines.

Teenage Sex Epidemic!

Tweet

You are in the right place for responding to my newspaper article about pregnancy, STDs, and HIV/AIDS among Black teens. I look forward to reading your posts!

Here are some of the highlights from my article:

Teenage Sex Epidemic!

Teenagers need wise counsel, in order for them to learn how to make wise choices about sex. But parents must be well informed and willing to discuss sex and the possible effects, such as teen pregnancy, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), and HIV/AIDS. Otherwise, the alternative to this lack of communication is likely to be peer-driven, possibly through Internet forums or misplaced trust in a romantic friend. So, with or without wise counsel, your teen will have sex, sooner or later.

Recently, about 50% of teens report that they have never discussed condoms or any other contraceptive with their parents. 60% of teens report not having enough information about how to use or where to obtain birth control. 83% of teens report that they do not talk to their parents about sex, out of fear of their parents’ reaction. Less sex, fewer partners, and more birth control were reported, when parents consistently made an effort to know their teens’ friend and whereabouts (Massachusetts Alliance, n.d.).

The consequences are evident in the statistics shared within this article. For example, approximately 25% of sexually active teens contract an STD every year (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2005). The good news is that teens are at least thinking about sex before engaging in it, such as the teen virgins between the ages of 15-17 who almost unanimously reported pregnancy as an influencing factor for abstaining from sex. Concern for contracting HIV/AIDS and STDs was also reported as an influencing factor for abstaining from sex by a vast majority of teens. Meanwhile, an equally significant number of teens also reported feeling “too young” as an influencing factor in the decision to abstain from sex (KFF, 2005).

Though HIV/AIDS can be contracted by other means than sex, statistics show that African American teens as young as 13 and as old as 19 make up 65 % of all AIDS cases reported in the United States (KFF, 2005). Already, the expectation is that 1 out of every 16 black men will contract HIV/AIDS, and so will 1 out of every 30 black women (CDC, 2010). If we stop ignoring these issues, we can improve the health of our community. As an educator and consultant in the field of health information, I personally believe that education and awareness, coupled with the empowerment of self-esteem are the strongest tools against unfavorable health outcomes, such as the rates of teen pregnancy, STDs, and HIV/AIDS discussed in this article.