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American Morning

New Medical Report Out Says Some New Laws Could Make Generation Gap Worse

Aired August 14, 2002 - 07:24   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: There are plenty of things teenagers simply won't talk to their parents about, some of them intimate. Now a new medical report out this morning says that there are some new laws that could make the generation gap even worse.
And Arthel Neville has that for us this morning -- good morning, again.

ARTHEL NEVILLE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, again, Paula.

You know, what the study says is the law requiring parental notification by family planning clinics would lead to more teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS.

Now, the reasoning goes like this. If family planning clinics have to tell parents that their under 18 daughters are using prescription contraceptives, more than half of the girls surveyed said they would either stop using these services altogether or delay testing and treatment for sexually related diseases. But the girls said they would not stop having sex.

Now, this study, reported in the journal of the American Medical Association, was partly funded by Planned Parenthood in reaction to federal and state laws requiring parental notification.

Now, the journal also reports women doctors spend more time with their patients than male doctors do. Female M.D.s spend more quality time during office visits talking about health and having emotionally supportive conversations with patients. They also get people more involved in their own health care. That's right.

Now, there is an exception, although. Male OB-GYNs devote more time talking over emotional issues with their patients than their female counterparts. Now, that's a little surprising.

ZAHN: You know, that's interesting. I've always been happy with my OB-GYNs. Lord knows I've had a couple of them with three kids along the way.

NEVILLE: Three kids, yes.

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