The Lancet Launches A New Series on Adolescent Health

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The Lancet, published April 25, 2012

“In 2007, The Lancet published its first adolescent health series, which highlighted particular areas of attention, such as sexual and reproductive health, mental health, and substance misuse. Today’s 1.8 billion adolescents are more exposed to harmful alcohol consumption, sexually transmitted diseases, and other risks than in the past, and face other new challenges such as social media. The Lancet’s second Series on Adolescent Health, launched to coincide with the 45th Session of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development, argues that it is now time to put the young person, not the specific issue, centre stage. Four papers analyse the role of adolescence as a foundation for future health, the social determinants of adolescent health, the potential of the worldwide application of prevention science, and the current availability of data on 25 suggested core indicators in all countries.”

“The Series Editorial points out that ‘this more holistic vision is an important further step for firmly putting adolescent health—in many countries still a specialty in its infancy—out of a marginalised subspecialty existence into mainstream global health agendas by advocating a life-course framework’.”

CHECK OUT JUST A FEW OF THE SERIES PAPERS BELOW:
Adolescence: a foundation for future health
Susan M Sawyer, Rima A Afifi, Linda H Bearinger, Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, Bruce Dick, Alex C Ezeh, George C Patton
Adolescence and the social determinants of health

Russell M Viner, Elizabeth M Ozer, Simon Denny, Michael Marmot, Michael Resnick, Adesegun Fatusi, Candace Currie
Worldwide application of prevention science in adolescent health

Richard F Catalano, Abigail A Fagan, Loretta E Gavin, Mark T Greenberg, Charles E Irwin Jr, David A Ross, Daniel T L Shek
Health of the world’s adolescents: a synthesis of internationally comparable data

George C Patton, Carolyn Coffey, Claudia Cappa, Dorothy Currie, Leanne Riley, Fiona Gore, Louisa Degenhardt, Dominic Richardson, Nan Astone, Adesola O Sangowawa, Ali Mokdad, Jane Ferguson

Dr. Babatunde on why access to family planning is important for adolescent girls

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The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)’s Babatunde Osotimehin was featured yesterday in the Huffington Post’s Global Motherhood Blog. In his piece “Don’t Forget the Girls,” Dr. Babatunde talks about the importance of family planning services, education, and other health services in the lives of young women. Read the post HERE.

Rio+20: An Introduction for Youth

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Rio+20 is a Sustainable Development conference organised by the UN for governments with some members of Civil Society attending. It is a 3 day event that will focus on two themes and has only one objective—to have governments commit to sustainable development.

This means that they are going to look at the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of agreements. This will also include how to tackle new and emerging challenges.

The event will mark the 20th anniversary of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (the Earth Summit), in Rio de Janeiro, and the 10th anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development  in Johannesburg. It is seen as a conference at the highest possible level, including Heads of State and Government or other representatives. We want the Conference to result in a focused political document.

So, how can you(th) make this happen? Put pressure on your government. Get involved! Mobilise your friends and make sure that your government knows that this matters to you.

Rio+twenties is a youth-led, completely volunteer-based organization. It strives to create a platform for active youth participation in what could become one of the most important international events in years, the UN Conference for Sustainable Development (aka Rio + 20).

Watch the video below, An Introduction to Rio+20 for children and youth.

Rio+20: an introduction for children and youth from Rio+twenties on Vimeo.

Get Yourself Tested: April is National STD Awareness Month

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April is STD Awareness Month, an annual observance to call attention to the impact of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the United States and the importance of discussing sexual health with health-care providers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that “even though young persons make up only 25% of the sexually experienced population, nearly half of new STD cases occur in persons aged 15–24 years (1). Stigma, lack of information, lack of access to health care, and a combination of other behavioral and biologic factors contribute to high rates of STDs among teens and young adults.”

The fourth annual GYT: Get Yourself Tested campaign kicks off National STD Awareness Month (April) with new initiatives on-air, online, and on the ground at college campuses and in more than 5,000 health centers across the nation. GYT is an ongoing national campaign launched in 2009 as an extension of a longstanding public information partnership between MTV and the Kaiser Family Foundation to address the high rates of STDs among those under 25.  It is supported by a broad range of organizations including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which reinforce the on-air campaign with on-the-ground promotions conducted with health centers and community organizations across the nation.

“MTV has made a sustained commitment to challenging the stigma that prevents countless young people from getting tested for STDs and HIV,” said Jason Rzepka, Vice President of MTV Public Affairs. “We’re proud that GYT has helped drive notable increases in STD testing, but there’s no finish line in this race, and we will continue to do all we can to help our audience make responsible decisions about their sexual health.”

GYT is a youthful, empowering campaign aimed at reducing the spread of STDs among young people through information; open communication with partners, health care
ecause of the positive difference it has made on the lives of so many young Americans,” said Gail Bolan, MD, director of CDC’s Division of STD Prevention. “The facts are clear – STDs are common, and the life-long impact of an untreated STD is real. But, these don’t have to be accepted parts of life. GYT provides the tools young people need to be proactive about their health.”providers, and peers; and testing and treatment as needed. GYT offers a short-hand reference for young people to open up dialogue about STDs and, in particular, the importance of testing.  According to CDC, young people ages 15-24 represent nearly half of all new STDs occurring in the U.S., while representing just 25 percent of the population.  Rates of chlamydia, a preventable and treatable STD, are particularly high.  Chlamydia often has no symptoms, and when left undiagnosed and untreated can cause serious health consequences, including infertility in women.  As a result, CDC recommends annual screening for all sexually active women aged 25 and younger.

“We’re proud to be a part of GYT b
GYT public service messages air throughout the year on MTV channels with cross promotions with health centers and community organizations.  Extensive information resources – including a dedicated website, which provides basic information about common STDs, talking tips and a zip
*“Team GYT” — Celebrities recognizable to the GYT audience help carry the GYT message as part of “Team GYT.”  Coming from an array of backgrounds, these celebrities are hand-picked to offer a sense of inspiration and personal empowerment. This year, the campaign is pleased to welcome Litefoot, a Native American rap artist, actor and entrepreneur. Litefoot, a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, also operates the “Reach the Rez Tour”, an outreach program that promotes positive change among American Indian youth. Litefoot joins the ranks of the existing members of Team GYT including: The Jersey Shore’s Vinny, rap visionary Talib Kweli, celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton, America’s Best Dance Crew’s Jungle Boogie, professional street skateboarder Stevie Williams, head of Thehundreds.com Bobby Hundreds, Paper Twins’ artists Nica and Edgar A. English, aspiring fashion-conscious entrepreneur Allie Bashuk, surf-loving San Franpsycho, San Francisco designer/painter/artist Ube Urban, code locator to find local testing locations – as well as mobile testing locator, GYTNOW (498669) – provide the audience with more information.  During April, the campaign scales up its presence by introducing new messaging and outreach.  Some elements of this year’s national GYT campaign include:

Levi Maestro of the online show “Maestro Knows,” Buff Monster, designer Han Cholo, and DJ A-Trak. Team GYT will continue to grow throughout the year as new faces are added to the campaign. All will carry the GYT brand out into various aspects of youth culture, encouraging their fans and followers to know their status.

*GYT “Party” — GYT has created a new online interactive video experience to encourage conversations about STDs and testing with partners, peers, and health care providers.  The video, a simulation of a party scene, includes five conversations among couples, peers and friends, about STDs and testing and is found at http://www.itsyoursexlife.com/gyt/talk/party. The GYT Party is filled with talking tips, an interactive quiz, key information for starting a conversation about STDs and testing and other bonus features.

*GYT Nation — GYT is also supported by an extensive on-the-ground outreach effort is taking GYT to communities across the country. GYT promotional and informational materials, including T-shirts, posters, buttons, brochures, and stickers are being distributed to more than 5,000 health centers and organizations nationwide, including Planned Parenthood’s network of nearly 800 health centers and additional public and private clinics identified by CDC. GYT is also working with state and local health departments the National Coalition of STD Directors, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine and the National Assembly of School-Based Health Centers to provide young people with information about the campaign. And, the American College Health Association (ACHA) works with GYT to distribute materials through college health centers.

“When it comes to STDs, many of those at risk don’t know it or assume they would know if they had one,” said Tina Hoff, Senior Vice President and Director of the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Health Communication & Media Partnerships Program. “Through a combination of on-air, online, and on-the-ground messages, GYT is working to increase knowledge and remove the stigma of STD testing”.

During last year’s GYT campaign, Planned Parenthood health centers tested almost 125,000 men and women in April, and Planned Parenthood affiliates held 240 events with 1,250 youth volunteers, reaching 67,000 people.  Data collected from 10 Planned Parenthood affiliates show that STD testing has increased significantly since the launch of GYT in 2009. Among the 10 affiliates, there was a 51 percent increase in patients getting tested in April 2011 as compared to the same time in 2008, prior to the launch of the campaign – suggesting that the campaign helped drive an increase in STD tests. Nationally, Planned Parenthood reported significant increases in the populations most affected by STDs, including African Americans and people living at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level. Data is not available for all 80 PPFA affiliates and more than 1000 clinics, colleges and universities, and other partners that also supported the campaign in 2011.

“At Planned Parenthood, we know that affordable testing and treatment, along with education, are the best ways to ensure that young people stay healthy and safe,” said PPFA President Cecile Richards. “For almost a century, Planned Parenthood has been providing health care information and resources aimed at preventing STDs, and our doors are open to everyone. Getting tested is simply a basic part of staying healthy, and we’re thrilled that the GYT campaign is getting that message out to teens and young people.”

PEPFAR, Youth, and the AIDS Epidemic: A Call for Real Leadership on Prevention

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The following was re-posted, with permission, from RH Reality Check. Article originally appeared on April 3, 2012.

BY: Debra Hauser, President, Advocates for Youth

The global HIV and AIDS strategy is at a turning point. We have witnessed dramatic scientific advances in the fight against the pandemic, spurring renewed hope that the end of AIDS is in sight. President Obama and Secretary Clinton recently delivered major speeches announcing new targets and goals for achieving an “AIDS-free generation.” Yet globally, young people continue to account for four in ten new infections and those directing the U.S. effort to combat the epidemic are not taking the bold steps necessary to match the inspiring vision outlined by the President and the Secretary of State.

But rather than building a firewall of prevention around the largest youth generation in the world’s history, the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC) is pursuing a limited, politically-safe approach–based largely on a biomedical approach to prevention–that downplays the sexual health needs and rights of youth throughout the world.

In a newly-released report, Advocates for Youth analyzes youth policies within the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), including its legislative authority, most recent five-year strategy, relevant guidance documents, and all twenty-one currently available PEPFAR country Partnership Frameworks. Our analysis outlines a series of policy recommendations that could help the agency address the real challenges at hand. This first-of-its kind, in-depth analysis assesses PEPFAR policy and programming according to nine youth indicators, including:

  • Requirements that comprehensive sex education, which includes information about abstinence and condoms, be provided for all youth;
  • Emphasis on the meaningful inclusion of youth in the development, implementation and/or evaluation of youth HIV prevention and care strategies;
  • Clear support for the integration of youth-friendly HIV/AIDS and family planning/reproductive health services;
  • Emphasis on specific prevention strategies for young people living with HIV or AIDS;
  • Recommendations for the compilation and reporting of age disaggregated data and statistics;
  • Explicit inclusion of programs and strategies targeting young men who have sex with men, young commercial sex workers and young intravenous drug users;
  • Language that identifies youth as a Most-At-Risk Population;
  • Policies and programs designed to reach at-risk and out-of-school youth; and
  • Policy reforms that improve youth access to sexual health services, including condom availability.

The report finds that the while there are promising advances for youth sexual and reproductive health in PEPFAR’s second phase, progress is being significantly hampered by a siloed, segmented approach to prevention that fails to address the holistic needs of youth or to engage young people themselves as partners in prevention. In addition, the report notes a tepid commitment within OGAC to the rights of young people to the information and education they need to protect their health and lives in the era of AIDS. The report concludes with a set of recommendations for the U.S. Congress, OGAC, and Partner Country governments, to design and implement the bold policy needed to support youth sexual and reproductive health and rights, including promotion of comprehensive sexuality education and youth-friendly, integrated, HIV and family planning services.

While “combination prevention” approaches may be all the rage in Washington these days, a key piece of the prevention puzzle is missing—the health and rights of young people. We all understand that prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), male circumcision, and treatment as prevention are critical interventions in the global HIV prevention arsenal. However, they represent only a partial picture of prevention—one that focuses entirely on biomedical approaches at the expense of behavioral and structural interventions. We simply cannot afford to take the path of least resistance and promote politically easy biomedical approaches while minimizing attention to more comprehensive strategies that recognize the realities of young people’s sexual lives. The 2,500 young people who are newly-infected with HIV every single day serve witness to the inadequacy of our current approach.

We have to recognize that young people have the right to accurate and complete sexual health information and services; that young people deserve our respect; and that as a leader in the global HIV fight, the U.S. has a responsibility to require that those receiving U.S. funds provide young people with all of the tools they need to safeguard their sexual and reproductive health. Yet, all too often, young people are ignored or caught in the crosshairs of controversy and politics. One of the many costs of this fallout: only 34 percent of young people in low- and middle-income countries (24 percent of young women and 36 percent of young men) can correctly answer the five basic questions about HIV and how to prevent it.

We’ve got to do better than this.

As the host of the International AIDS Conference this July, the United States and Washington, DC, in particular, will be in the spotlight. And thousands of young people will be at the forefront, thanks to efforts of Youth Force, expecting their leaders to not just listen, but to take action to address the health and rights of young people. We must seize this opportunity to promote a truly science-based, holistic, HIV-prevention strategy for young people in the U.S. and abroad. In the end, it is young people who hold the key to ending this epidemic. That’s why they should be at the center, not the periphery, of our programs and policies. The ultimate challenge we face is not money or technology—it’s leadership. And the time to exercise it is now.

TAKE THE QUIZ: Do you know how the ACA benefits gay and transgender individuals?

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The Center for American Progress (CAP) works to improve the lives of all Americans through progressive ideas and action. Among many other topics, CAP looks at LGBT issues through a variety of lenses. Earlier this week, CAP published a great piece titled “Top 10 Things Health Reform Does for Gay and Transgender Americans”. Today, CAP featured this quiz to help you learn more about how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) benefits LGBT Americans. *Note:  In this quiz, “gay” is used as an umbrella term to describe individuals that are gay, lesbian, or bisexual.

Two years ago President Barack Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the most significant reform of the U.S. health system since the creation of Medicare and Medicaid in the 1960s. Many of the law’s reforms are already making a difference in the lives of gay and transgender Americans, and many more benefits are still to come as key provisions of the law take effect in 2014.*

Take this quiz to learn more about how the health reform law benefits gay and transgender Americans. Click HERE to take the quiz!

How the Affordable Care Act affects LGBT Latinas

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The following piece was cross-posted from the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH). Follow NLIRH on Twitter @NLIRH and on Facebook.

 

It’s LGBT health awareness week, and today we’d like to spend some time talking about a few of the ways the Affordable Care Act will affect LGBTQ Latin@s. Shall we?

Medicaid expansion: We’ve already talked about this some before, but it’s important to mention here that the ACA will expand Medicaid eligibility dramatically, and will cover U.S. citizens and eligible immigrants up to 133% of the federal poverty line. This is absolutely crucial to LGBTQ Latin@s. People of color are disproportionately poor, and most available data suggests that LGBTQ folks are disproportionately poor as well. The data that we have that looks at both, such as the data from the Latin@ subset of the Trans Discrimination Survey, suggest extreme levels of poverty. What this means is that LGBTQ Latin@s and people of color stand to benefit greatly from a Medicaid expansion, and that it will bring health care to many LGBTQ folks that did not have it before. Not included in this expansion, unfortunately, are undocumented immigrants and legal permanent residents who have had that status for less than five years, many of whom are undoubtedly LGBTQ-identified. We’ve gotta keep fighting the good fight to get these folks covered.

Data Collection: One of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act is geared toward improving data collection, and we were incredibly pleased to see that last year, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced a plan to expand data collection on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender populations. The plan calls for the integration of sexual orientation and  gender identity questions into national health data collection surveys, and will not only bring to light important issues on LGBT health and health disparities, but having these numbers also will facilitate the funding needed to create and implement relevant public health interventions.

The end of pre-existing conditions exclusions: Again, this is something we’ve already talked about, but it is worth mentioning again here. This obviously applies to any LGBTQ-identified person who may be diabetic, has had a c-section, or any number of common health issues (i.e. lots of people), but this is especially important for transgender Latin@s. Under many private plans, simply being transgender is a “pre-existing condition” and reason for exclusion. This means that folks could get denied insurance on these grounds, or that if they were insured that any ongoing care relating to gender re-alignment (including every day care such as hormones) would not be covered. This is clearly unacceptable, and we’re really glad to see it go.

We were also excited to hear that the exchanges may not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in their activities, and insurance plans offered within them must include a list of essential health benefits including preventive and mental health services.

Stay tuned for more on how our communities stand to benefit from the Affordable Care act in 20 Days of ACA!

Happy LGBT Health Awareness Week!!

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March 26-30 is National LGBT Health Awareness Week! This year’s theme is “Come Out for Health.” The National Coalition for LGBT Health issued a Call to Action “for community members, advocates, service providers, and governmental officials to recognize health and wellness as an essential part of the social justice movement for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals, families and the wider community.”

According to the National Coalition for LGBT Health, the 2012 campaign will advance four core LGBT health principles:

  • Consumer Empowerment - by making resources available to the LGBT community on how to approach their health care providers about their sexual orientation and gender identity;
  • Culturally Competent Services – by directing health care providers to resources on how to become a culturally competent source of services for the LGBT community;
  • Engaged Communities – by providing outreach materials to a variety of organizations to encourage participation in LGBT Health Awareness Week; and
  • Inclusive Policymaking – will be pursued through a congressional briefing scheduled during LGBT Health Awareness Week, and providing resources to reach out to local and State officials related to LGBT health.

There are a number of events planned throughout the country to commemorate the week of awareness-raising and advocacy for LGBT health.

Key sponsors and supporters of the LGBT Health Awareness Week include the Human Rights Campaign, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the Mazzoni Center, and the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association. All of these organizations provide great resources for LGBT youth and adults. Additionally, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also has a number of resources for young lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

UNICEF: Climate change among most serious problems facing global youth

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In its recent report, The State of the World’s Children 2011, UNICEF includes climate change among the most serious issues confronting the next generation. Youth will have to confront climate change long after our current leaders have died. But, even now, they are disproportionately affected by it.

“Natural disasters are increasingly frequent,” the report notes, and “[a]t times of crisis, children and adolescents are most vulnerable. While the youngest are most likely to perish or succumb to disease, all children and young people suffer as a result of food shortages, poor water and sanitation, interrupted education and family separation or displacement.”

While it’s widely recognized that developing countries will be hit harder by climate change than the industrialized world, the report offers this additional piece of information: 88 percent of all adolescents live in developing countries.

There may be a silver lining: UNICEF sees an opportunity for young people to become “effective agents of change for the long-term protection and stewardship of the earth if” — and it’s a crucial if — “they are provided with knowledge and opportunity.” Among young people climate skepticism is all but unheard of, and youth groups have repeatedly called for immediate and aggressive action against climate change.

It’s a testament to how serious an issue climate change is that a report with as broad a focus as “youth” hones in on it. The human lens on the problem also leads to an acknowledgement of the diversity of effects climate change will have on us: “Climate change is not just an ‘environmental’ issue,” says UNICEF, echoing a claim that we at ClimateHealthConnect find ourselves making regularly. “It requires collective action that brings together sustainable development, energy security, and actions to safeguard children’s health and well-being.”

Among those that don’t care about glaciers or polar bears, there must be many who do care about human health. And among those who don’t care much about health, perhaps there will be some who do care about children.

 

*Photo courtesy of Stoonn.

Young People and the Environment

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“It is imperative that youth from all parts of the world participate
actively in all relevant levels of decision-making processes because it
affects their lives today and has implications for their futures. In addition
to their intellectual contribution and their ability to mobilize support,
they bring unique perspectives that need to be taken into
account.”  –   Chapter 25 of Agenda 21, adopted at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro

Seven billion people now live on our earth; only 12 years ago, our global population hit six billion.  There are more young people living in the world today than ever before. The number of young people (aged 14-24) in the world has increased dramatically in the the last few decades: from 461 million in 1950 to more than 1.2 billion in 2010 (UN 2010) .  Additionally, more than half of the world’s people are under the age of 25.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines environmental health as “ all the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a person, and all the related factors impacting behaviours. It encompasses the assessment and control of those environmental factors that can potentially affect health. It is targeted towards preventing disease and creating health-supportive environments.”  Therefore, environmental health pertains to both our immediate environment (our house or community) and our greater environment (the planet’s changing weather patterns, etc).

There are a number of environmental risks and climate hazards that disproportionately affect young people and their health and well being. For example, young children are especially vulnerable to risks associated with access to clean and safe drinking water.

In this section, we will be posting on a variety of topics pertaining to environmental health and young people. These topics include, but are not limited to: water security, food security, climate change mitigation and adaptation, severe weather,and indoor and outdoor air pollution.