There are some ethical issues present for the healthcare professionals dealing with adolescent athletes. These healthcare professionals comprise of physical therapies, physician and athletic trainer. These propel encounter several challenges when treating adolescent athletes especially to treat them as quick as possible and as safe as possible too. During treatment, there are conflicts of interest, which are likely to emerge where team physician may not agree with other members of a sport organization. Ethical treatment is very significant for the adolescent athlete, and it requires an appropriate ethical decision. Ethical treatment of adolescent requires that the confidentiality and autonomy to be respected by other stakeholders might challenge this traditional notion.
Ethical Issues Discussed
The ethical issues discussed in the article relates to informed consent, autonomy and confidentiality. In some situations, team physicians found themselves in a dilemma on issues related to ethical principles of confidentiality, autonomy and informed consent. The question is that to what extent should management and other stakeholder’s access medical information of an adolescent athlete (Greenfield, & West, 2012). Nevertheless, the management and the stakeholders have a right to a medical decision affecting the care of the athlete. For example, when an athlete has an injury, there are medications, which can be administered, and they have varying healing process (Fuller, 2017). There those that have short-term effects while others have a long-term impact. Therefore, when the management is consulted for the best treatment to be offered, they would prefer short-term, as they want the athlete to resume. Short-term treatment might not offer full recovery of the athlete as compared to long-term approach (Blauwet et al., 2015).
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It is Effects on How a Sport Is Viewed
This issue to do with confidentiality, autonomy and informed consent has resulted in several effects when it comes to treating of an adolescent athlete. The health of an athlete is essential, as that will determine how actively he/she will be as they engage in sports activities (Blauwet et al., 2015). Additionally, seeking for a permanent solution should be the most critical element of treatment in case an athlete is sick. When the management decides to resort to short-term treatment for an athlete, it implies that they do not have the heath of an athlete at heart, but they are only concerned with their participation (Greenfield, & West, 2012).
How It Might Be Addressed
This issue can be addressed by informing the management of the best ethical practices they should consider when treating athlete. All decision made should be able to protect the athlete but not the reputation of the organization (Blauwet et al., 2015). An athlete is an adult so they should be allowed to choose the best treatment method they would want rather than being suggested by the management. When deciding on treatment, long-term strategies should be adopted as they assist in full recovery of the athlete (Greenfield, & West, 2012).
Consequences If It Were To Remain Unaddressed
If the issue remains unaddressed, it implies that athlete will be subjected to treatment in which they have no informed consent (Fuller, 2017). Additionally, the time for an athlete to spend in active sports will be shortened, as they will be required to seek treatment frequently. Similarly, the physician might not be in apposition to offer better decision as he/she knows that the management will not buy into it (Greenfield, & West, 2012).
There are some ethical issues present for the healthcare professionals dealing with adolescent athletes. The ethical issues discussed in the article relates to informed consent, autonomy and confidentiality. This issue to do with confidentiality, autonomy and informed consent has resulted in several effects when it comes to treating of an adolescent athlete. This issue can be addressed by informing the management of the best ethical practices they should consider when treating athlete.
References
Blauwet, C., Greenfield, B. H., Ham, E. L., Spill, G., & Mukherjee, D. (2015). The Team Physician: Ethical and Legal Issues. PM&R , 7 (10), 1089-1094.
Fuller, C. W. (2017). " Recognize and Remove": A Universal Principle for the Management of Sports Injuries. Clinical journal of sport medicine: official journal of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine .
Greenfield, B. H., & West, C. R. (2012). Ethical issues in sports medicine: A review and justification for ethical decision making and reasoning. Sports health , 4 (6), 475-479.
