Approaches to Health Management: Sexuality

by | Apr 1, 2025 | Essays

A father of a 17-year-old wants to know whether his child is sexually active.

What will you tell him?
What if the child is 14 years old?
What if the child is 11 years old?
What is your state law regarding parental notification? It is Florida!

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

It’s important to approach this situation with sensitivity and prioritize the well-being and privacy of the child. My response will differ based on the child’s age, keeping in mind ethical considerations and Florida law.

General Principles for All Ages:

  • Focus on the Child: My primary concern is the health and safety of the child.
  • Confidentiality: As a healthcare provider, I have an ethical obligation to maintain the confidentiality of my patients, especially minors. This confidentiality is not absolute and has exceptions, particularly when there is a risk of harm.
  • Therapeutic Relationship: My goal is to build a trusting relationship with the child to provide appropriate care and guidance.
  • Age of Consent: In Florida, the age of consent for sexual activity is 18 years old. This means that any sexual activity with a minor under 18 is considered illegal, regardless of consent (with some limited exceptions for minors close in age).
  • Florida Law on Parental Notification for Abortion: While not directly about sexual activity, Florida law regarding abortion provides some insight into parental involvement for minors’ healthcare decisions related to reproductive health. Florida Statute § 390.01114 requires parental consent for a minor to have an abortion, with a judicial bypass option. There is no specific Florida law mandating parental notification solely based on a minor being sexually active.

Specific Responses Based on Age:

If the child is 17 years old:

  • To the Father: “I understand your concern for your child. As a healthcare provider, my priority is to have an open and honest relationship with my patients to ensure their health and well-being. Due to patient confidentiality, I cannot confirm or deny your child’s sexual activity to you.
  • “However, I strongly encourage you to have an open and supportive conversation with your child about relationships, sexual health, and responsible decision-making. Creating a safe space for them to talk to you is crucial.

It’s important to approach this situation with sensitivity and prioritize the well-being and privacy of the child. My response will differ based on the child’s age, keeping in mind ethical considerations and Florida law.

General Principles for All Ages:

  • Focus on the Child: My primary concern is the health and safety of the child.
  • Confidentiality: As a healthcare provider, I have an ethical obligation to maintain the confidentiality of my patients, especially minors. This confidentiality is not absolute and has exceptions, particularly when there is a risk of harm.
  • Therapeutic Relationship: My goal is to build a trusting relationship with the child to provide appropriate care and guidance.
  • Age of Consent: In Florida, the age of consent for sexual activity is 18 years old. This means that any sexual activity with a minor under 18 is considered illegal, regardless of consent (with some limited exceptions for minors close in age).
  • Florida Law on Parental Notification for Abortion: While not directly about sexual activity, Florida law regarding abortion provides some insight into parental involvement for minors’ healthcare decisions related to reproductive health. Florida Statute § 390.01114 requires parental consent for a minor to have an abortion, with a judicial bypass option. There is no specific Florida law mandating parental notification solely based on a minor being sexually active.

Specific Responses Based on Age:

If the child is 17 years old:

  • To the Father: “I understand your concern for your child. As a healthcare provider, my priority is to have an open and honest relationship with my patients to ensure their health and well-being. Due to patient confidentiality, I cannot confirm or deny your child’s sexual activity to you.
  • “However, I strongly encourage you to have an open and supportive conversation with your child about relationships, sexual health, and responsible decision-making. Creating a safe space for them to talk to you is crucial.
  • “If you have specific concerns about your child’s safety or well-being, please share those with me, and I can address them within the bounds of confidentiality and the law. I can also offer resources for both of you on adolescent development, sexual health, and communication.”
  • To the 17-year-old (if they are my patient): If the child has discussed sexual activity with me, I would:
    • Reinforce the importance of safe sex practices, including contraception and STI prevention.
    • Provide information and resources on sexual health.
    • Encourage open communication with their parent(s) or a trusted adult, while respecting their autonomy.
    • Assess for any risk factors, such as coercion or exploitation.
    • Explain the limits of confidentiality, especially regarding potential harm to themselves or others.

If the child is 14 years old:

  • To the Father: My response would be very similar to when the child is 17, emphasizing patient confidentiality and encouraging open communication with the child. I would also highlight the legal implications of sexual activity at this age due to Florida’s age of consent being 18.
  • To the 14-year-old (if they are my patient):
    • I would address the information with even greater emphasis on the legal aspects of sexual activity and the potential risks involved, including STIs, unintended pregnancy, and exploitation.
    • I would strongly encourage them to talk to a trusted adult, which ideally would be their parents, but could also be another family member, school counselor, or another healthcare professional.
    • Given their age, I would be more inclined to explore the reasons for their sexual activity and assess for any underlying issues or vulnerabilities.
    • I would also discuss the importance of healthy relationships and consent.

If the child is 11 years old:

  • To the Father: “It is understandable that you are concerned about your child. However, at 11 years old, sexual activity is developmentally very concerning and could indicate potential issues such as sexual abuse or exploitation.
  • “Due to patient confidentiality, I cannot confirm or deny any information about your child’s private matters. However, if you have specific reasons to believe your 11-year-old is sexually active, it is crucial to address this immediately.
  • “I strongly recommend having a gentle and age-appropriate conversation with your child to understand what is happening. It’s important to create a safe and supportive environment where they feel comfortable sharing.
  • “I also want to emphasize that sexual activity involving an 11-year-old is illegal in Florida and could be a sign of abuse. If you have any suspicion of abuse, it is your legal and ethical responsibility to report it to the appropriate authorities, such as the Department of Children and Families or law enforcement. I am also obligated to report any suspicion of child abuse.”
  • To the 11-year-old (if they are my patient):
    • If an 11-year-old disclosed sexual activity, my primary concern would be their safety and well-being.
    • I would need to assess the situation carefully to determine if they are being harmed or exploited.
    • Due to their age and the potential for harm, the principle of confidentiality would likely be overridden by the need to protect the child. I would need to inform Child Protective Services and potentially their parents about the disclosure, explaining the reasons for this breach of confidentiality to the child in an age-appropriate manner.
    • I would provide support and resources to the child and their family as needed.

Florida Law Regarding Parental Notification:

As mentioned earlier, there is no specific Florida law that mandates parental notification solely based on a minor being sexually active. However, there are laws regarding parental consent for certain medical procedures, like abortion.

Ethical Considerations:

In all these scenarios, I would be guided by the following ethical principles:

  • Beneficence: Acting in the best interest of the child.
  • Non-maleficence: Avoiding harm to the child.
  • Autonomy: Respecting the child’s right to make decisions, to the extent they are capable. This is a developing capacity in adolescence.
  • Justice: Ensuring fair and equitable treatment.

Balancing the father’s concern with the child’s right to privacy and my ethical and legal obligations is crucial. Open communication within the family is ideal, and I would encourage that while respecting the child’s confidentiality within legal and ethical boundaries. In cases of suspected harm or illegal activity, my duty to protect the child would take precedence.

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