Teen Secure Messaging is Associated With Use of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in One Health System.

Purpose: Patient portal use may improve access to or use of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services for adolescents. We examined the association between adolescent secure messaging on a portal and use of SRH services in one health system.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using electronic health records of adolescents aged 13-17 at Kaiser Permanente Washington from 2019 to 2021.

Screening and brief intervention with adolescents with risky alcohol use in school-based health centers: A randomized clinical trial of the tool.

This study aimed to compare care delivery and alcohol and marijuana use for adolescents with risky alcohol use who received a school-based health center (SBHC) visit with and without the tool, an electronic tool that gives motivational feedback on substance use and summarizes results for providers. We conducted a randomized controlled trial with 148 adolescents aged 13-18 who met criteria for moderate- to high- risk alcohol use, recruited from urban SBHCs. Participants were randomized to receive their SBHC visit with ( = 73) or without ( = 75) the screening and feedback tool.

Reviewing Manuscripts: A Systematic Approach.

Peer-review of manuscripts submitted for publication in a scholarly journal is a cornerstone of the scientific process. Most scholars receive little or no training on how to conduct this key component of academic citizenship. This article provides guidance on a systematic approach to performing peer-review.

Video Intervention to Increase Perceived Self-Efficacy for Condom Use in a Randomized Controlled Trial of Female Adolescents.

Study Objective: To assess the effects of the Seventeen Days interactive video on young women's perceived self-efficacy for using condoms 6 months after being offered the intervention, relative to a control.

Design: Multisite randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Twenty participating health clinics and county health departments in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Contraceptive counseling among pediatric primary care providers in Western Pennsylvania: A survey-based study.

Objectives: Data suggest that adolescents in the United States receive inadequate contraceptive counseling. This study sought to determine factors affecting pediatricians' discussion of contraception with adolescent patients, with a specific focus on long-acting reversible contraception-implantable contraception and intrauterine devices.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was sent via email to a convenience sample of pediatric residents and pediatric primary care providers in Western Pennsylvania.

2016 Updates to US Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use and Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use: Highlights for Adolescent Patients.

The US Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (MEC) and US Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use (SPR) provide evidence-based guidance to safely provide contraception counseling and services. Both documents were updated in 2016 and are endorsed by the North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. The purpose of this mini-review is to highlight updates to the US MEC and US SPR that are most relevant to health care providers of adolescents to support dissemination and implementation of these evidence-based best practices.

Sexual and Contraceptive Behaviors among Adolescents Requesting Emergency Contraception.

Study Objective And Design: Unintended pregnancy rates in the United States remain high among adolescents. Emergency contraception (EC) provides the only option for pregnancy prevention after unprotected sex. To better define the population of adolescents who request and use EC pills, we performed a post hoc analysis of an over-the-counter simulation study of EC pills.

Barriers to Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive Uptake Among Homeless Young Women.

Study Objective: To identify barriers to long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) uptake among homeless young women.

Design: In this mixed methods study surveys and guided interviews were used to explore women's contraceptive and reproductive experiences, interactions with the health care system, and their histories of homelessness.

Setting: All surveys and interviews were conducted at a homeless drop-in center or shelter.

Racial and/or Ethnic Differences in Formal Sex Education and Sex Education by Parents among Young Women in the United States.

Study Objective: We sought to investigate the associations between race and/or ethnicity and young women's formal sex education and sex education by parents.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative sample of 1768 women aged 15-24 years who participated in the 2011-2013 National Survey of Family Growth.

Interventions And Main Outcome Measures: We assessed 6 main outcomes: participants' report of: (1) any formal sex education; (2) formal contraceptive education; (3) formal sexually transmitted infection (STI) education; (4) any sex education by parents; (5) contraceptive education by parents; and (6) STI education by parents.

Parents' Role in Adolescent Depression Care: Primary Care Provider Perspectives.

Objective: To understand how primary care providers (PCPs) perceive barriers to adolescent depression care to inform strategies to increase treatment engagement.

Study Design: We conducted semistructured interviews with 15 PCPs recruited from community pediatric offices with access to integrated behavioral health services (ie, low system-level barriers to care) who participated in a larger study on treating adolescent depression. Interviews addressed PCP perceptions of barriers to adolescents' uptake of care for depression.

Racial and ethnic differences in young men's sex and contraceptive education.

Purpose: Racial/ethnic disparities exist in young men's contraceptive knowledge. This study examines whether the likelihood of receiving sexual health education varies by race/ethnicity.

Methods: We examined racial/ethnic differences in sex and contraceptive education both in school and from parents with multivariable logistic regression models among 4,104 men aged 15-24 years using data from the 2006-2010 National Survey of Family Growth.

Reproductive health care after transplantation.

Contraception, cervical cancer screening, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening, and menstrual disorders are issues that need to be addressed in all reproductive-aged women, including those with a history of solid organ transplantation. There are specific considerations that may alter routine care in this population. Due to teratogenic immunosuppressive medications, highly effective contraception is important to planning or appropriately timing pregnancy.

Contraception for adolescents.

A working knowledge of contraception will assist the pediatrician in both sexual health promotion as well as treatment of common adolescent gynecologic problems. Best practices in adolescent anticipatory guidance and screening include a sexual health history, screening for pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, counseling, and if indicated, providing access to contraceptives. Pediatricians' long-term relationships with adolescents and families allow them to help promote healthy sexual decision-making, including abstinence and contraceptive use.

Frequency of Chlamydia trachomatis-specific T cell interferon-γ and interleukin-17 responses in CD4-enriched peripheral blood mononuclear cells of sexually active adolescent females.

An evaluation of CD4 T cell responses to candidate Chlamydia trachomatis vaccine antigens was conducted in an adolescent female cohort exposed through natural infection to explore antigen immunogenicity and correlation with protection from reinfection. The frequency of peripheral blood CD4 T cell IFN-γ and IL-17 responses to three candidate vaccine antigens, polymorphic membrane protein G (PmpG), F (PmpF), and major outer membrane protein (MOMP), were determined by ELISPOT; responses to chlamydial heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) and to elementary bodies (EB) were included for comparison. Responses of Infected (n=8), Seropositive/Uninfected (n=13), and Seronegative/Uninfected (n=18) participants were compared.

Parental report of receipt of adolescent preventive health counseling services from pediatric providers.

Objective: Little is known about prevention-focused counseling health providers deliver to parents of adolescents. This study compared parental report of discussions with their adolescents' providers about a range of adolescent prevention topics.

Methods: Between June and November 2009, a questionnaire was provided to parents accompanying adolescents aged 11-18 on outpatient clinic visits.

Mental health and substance use disparities among urban adolescent lesbian and bisexual girls.

Background: Sexual minority girls (SMGs) report large substance use disparities and victimization experiences, yet there is a dearth of research that focuses exclusively on SMGs.

Objective: To examine substance use and mental health disparities among SMGs and to determine whether disparities were larger for African American compared with European American girls.

Method: Data were used from Wave 11 of the Pittsburgh Girls Study, a multiple-cohort, prospective study of urban girls.

Cross-sectional evidence for a stress-negative affect pathway to substance use among sexual minority girls.

Sexual minority girls (SMGs) are four times more likely to engage in substance use than are heterosexual girls. A better understanding of the explanatory mechanisms of this disparity is needed to inform prevention and intervention programs. The goal of this study was to conduct a preliminary test of a "stress-negative affect" pathway by examining gay-related victimization and depression as mediators of substance use among SMGs.

Menstrual suppression in the adolescent.

Menstrual suppression, the use of contraceptive methods to eliminate or decrease the frequency of menses, is often prescribed for adolescents to treat menstrual disorders or to accommodate patient preference. For young women using hormonal contraceptives, there is no medical indication for menstruation to occur monthly, and various hormonal contraceptives can be used to decrease the frequency of menstruation with different side effect profiles and rates of amenorrhea. This article reviews the different modalities for menstrual suppression, common conditions in adolescents which may improve with menstrual suppression, and strategies for managing common side effects.

Clinical variability in approaches to polycystic ovary syndrome.

Study Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate methods of initial diagnosis and management of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) among members of the North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology (NASPAG) to assess the degree of practice heterogeneity among specialist providers of adolescent care.

Design: Cross-sectional, anonymous, internet survey

Participants: NASPAG membership (N = 326; Respondents = 127 (39%))

Results: Percentage of respondents who incorporated specific tests at initial diagnosis was highly variable ranging from 87% (thyroid stimulating hormone) to 17% (sex hormone binding globulin). Oral contraceptives and diet modification/exercise were the most common therapies recommended by 98% and 90% of respondents respectively.

The management of menstrual suppression and uterine bleeding: a survey of current practices in the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium.

Background: Current guidelines recommend the use of combined hormonal contraceptive pills for menstrual suppression in pediatric blood and marrow transplant (BMT) recipients but recent research reveals that provider practice varies. This study was designed to describe the current practice for managing menstrual issues, that is, menstrual suppression and uterine bleeding, in pediatric BMT patients and to better understand health care providers' practices in the use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa).

Procedure: A cross sectional survey consisting of 53 questions was distributed via email to principal investigators in the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium (PBMTC).