Adolescent Health News and Research

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More than half of all adolescents accept free rapid HIV test after risk assessment survey

Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends routine HIV testing for everyone between the ages of 13-64 as part of their regular medical care, testing rates remain low among adolescents.

10 May 2011

NBA Cares, SAHM and Tulsa Shock guard partner for teen vaccine awareness campaign

Tulsa Shock guard Andrea Riley and Basketball Hall of Famer Bob Lanier teamed up with NBA Cares and the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine today to bring Vaccines for Teens to the Tulsa community.

5 May 2011

Research roundup: Saving lives through health literacy

Health Literacy And Outcomes Among Patients With Heart Failure -- This study examines the correlation between health literacy, or the ability to understand basic health information, and the mortality rate among patients with heart failure, which is a condition that "requires self-management and frequent interactions with the health care system."

30 Apr 2011

'Harm-minimization' approach can lead to high teen alcohol consumption

Allowing adolescents to drink alcohol under adult supervision does not appear to teach responsible drinking as teens get older. In fact, such a "harm-minimization" approach may actually lead to more drinking and alcohol-related consequences, according to a new study in the May 2011 issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

28 Apr 2011

Study finds prevalence of low vitamin D status among obese adolescents

A new study from Hasbro Children's Hospital has found that most obese adolescents are lacking in vitamin D.

28 Apr 2011

Severely obese adolescents no more likely to be depressed

According to a new study, severely obese adolescents are no more likely to be depressed than normal weight peers. The study, which has been released online in the Journal of Adolescent Health, did find that white adolescents may be somewhat more vulnerable to psychological effects of obesity.

22 Apr 2011

Latest issue of Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care provides valuable insights

How do we assess the current and future quality of life for infants and children with life-threatening conditions? In the April issue of Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care, "The Quality of Life of Young Children and Infants with Chronic Medical Problems," presents a collection of essays in which physicians, medical ethicists, parents, and caregivers address one of the most contentious topics in pediatric and clinical ethics today, the assessment of QoL.

12 Apr 2011

Longer looks: Research shows intriguing link between women abused in childhood and low-birthweight infants; tea party efforts to move health programs to states

Increasingly, a whole body of research indicates what happens early in childhood — even in utero — affects the rest of your life. Now, a new study reinforces that perspective, finding that women who were abused as children stand a greater chance of delivering low-birthweight babies.

1 Apr 2011

New study examines teenage fatherhood's negative educational and economic outcomes

Public interest in the issue of teenage childbearing has recently increased, largely due to increases in both the teen pregnancy rate and the teen birth rate. A new study from Economic Inquiry examines the negative educational and economic outcomes of teenage fatherhood, a topic far less researched than teenage motherhood.

31 Mar 2011

Maternal childhood maltreatment can affect offspring's health

Mothers who were maltreated as children have increased risk for giving birth to low birth weight babies. The findings, by researchers at the University of Washington, are the first to show that maternal maltreatment can affect the health of offspring.

30 Mar 2011

Medical experts: Nation needs to offer more confidential care for sexually active teens

After reviewing existing research regarding the common practices of health care providers who see adolescent patients across the country, Rebecca Allen, MD, MPH, a clinician and researcher at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, and her colleague, Michelle Forcier, MD, MPH, an adolescent medicine specialist at Hasbro Children's Hospital, asserted that the nation needs to offer more confidential care for teenagers who are sexually active.

25 Mar 2011

WHO releases first list of 30 priority medicines for women, children

The WHO on Monday released a list of 30 medicines that "are essential for treating common diseases of mothers and children," Ghana News Agency reports (3/21).

23 Mar 2011

New screening program to identify children with behavioral, emotional problems

A study published in the March 2011 Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine shows that Massachusetts' new court-ordered mental health screening and intervention program led to more children being identified as behaviorally and emotionally at risk. The program is called the Children's Behavioral Health Initiative (CBHI).

8 Mar 2011

Mental health of obese children needs primary focus

The mental health of obese children should be a primary focus of researchers studying childhood obesity, according to Christine Calamaro, PhD, CRNP, assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing.

16 Feb 2011

House CR proposes to cut/eliminate funding for programs to prevent teen and unplanned pregnancy

On February 11, 2011, the Appropriations Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives released details of the proposed Continuing Resolution (CR) for fiscal year 2011. The CR would fund the government through the end of September of this year.

15 Feb 2011

Research provides new insights into eating disorders in Native Americans

The research, published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders, provides new insights into the extent to which Native American populations experience eating disorders, revealing that women are more likely to report behavioral symptoms then men, while challenging views that NA men and ethnically white men will experience different psychological symptoms.

7 Jan 2011

Early school entry lowers risk of obesity among adolescent girls

Effective strategies to fight the epidemic of childhood and adolescent obesity — one-third of kids under 20 weigh more than they should — have been elusive. A new study suggests a simple step that might help cut the problem down to size: start school sooner.

14 Dec 2010

Secondhand smoke in the home may cause ear infections in children: Study

Family members who smoke are more apt to feel it is OK to smoke indoors as their children get older. But in households with secondhand smoke, children between 12 and 17 are 1.67 times more prone to have recurrent ear infections compared to adolescents who live in a smoke-free environment, a large new study reveals.

7 Dec 2010

Researchers show link between accepting family attitudes, behaviors towards LGBT children

For the first time, researchers have established a clear link between accepting family attitudes and behaviors towards their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender children and significantly decreased risk and better overall health in adulthood.

6 Dec 2010

School vending machines influence dietary intake of students

Vending machines in public schools influence the diets of school children and can affect overall dietary intake and health, depending on what foods they contain.

17 Nov 2010