CHOICES-TEEN is a bundled intervention aimed at reducing the risks of unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and alcohol- and tobacco-exposed pregnancies for adolescent girls involved in the juvenile justice system. We examined youths' ( = 22) elicited pros and cons concerning alcohol, tobacco, condom, and contraception use to inform future iterations of CHOICES-TEEN and other prevention programming during a one-arm pilot study. Content analysis was used to identify recurring themes elicited and recorded during a decisional balance exercise with a counselor.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNineteen youth living with HIV (YLWH) opted for injectable cabotegravir and rilpivirine without oral lead in and without achieving an undetectable HIV viral load (VL) for the 3 months prior to initiation. All achieved undetectable status within 3 months (3 injections) and maintained an undetectable status through 6-12 months of therapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSocial determinants of health (SDoH), including factors such as education level, housing, poverty, racism, and food insecurity and their impact on health outcomes have been well documented. The "Wayne Pediatrics Health and Nutrition Expo" held at Detroit's Eastern Market was an activity-based health and nutrition event addressing pediatric SDoH. Partnering with community organizations, the event had 10 stations addressing SDoH: access to a primary-care pediatrician; HIV-care and prevention; childhood literacy; clothing & winter coats; mental health and childhood development; nutrition; staying active; vaccination; and food insecurity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStudies have shown lower screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is unclear how the pandemic affected STI testing among juvenile justice-involved youth, especially for extragenital gonorrhea and chlamydia. Retrospective chart review was conducted between March 2020 and June 2021 utilizing electronic health records of youth seen at a preadjudication facility in the southwest United States.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The purpose of this study was to examine severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 case positivity in juvenile justice facilities of two different states alongside institutional, local, and state public health policies during the first 6 months of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
Methods: This retrospective chart review examined two large, urban juvenile justice centers in California and Texas. Positive intake or day 12 tests were considered suggestive of community-acquired severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 infection.
Most juvenile detention facilities do not screen for Trichomonas Vaginalis (TV) despite being the most common parasitic STI. We aimed to assess TV prevalence and risk factors among young women in a large urban juvenile detention center. We evaluated a retrospective cohort from April to December 2016.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The feasibility and acceptability of CHOICES-TEEN - a 3-session intervention to reduce overlapping risks of alcohol-exposed pregnancy (AEP), tobacco-exposed pregnancy (TEP) and HIV - was assessed among females in the juvenile justice system.
Methods: Females 14-17 on community probation in Houston, Texas were eligible if presenting with aforementioned health risks. Outcome measures - obtained at one- and three-months post baseline - included the Timeline Followback, Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8, session completion/checklists, Working Alliance Inventory-Short, and open-ended questions.
The human papilloma virus (HPV) causes approximately 30,700 annual cancer cases of the cervix, vulva, vagina, penis, oral cavity, and anus. Nurse practitioners can use their unique relationships with patients to advocate for the HPV vaccine. The purpose of this article is to update NPs on current knowledge regarding the HPV vaccine while providing appropriate information necessary for counseling patients and parents.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStudy Objective: To assess the effect of providing standardized counseling to improve the rates of contraception initiation and utilization among detained young women. This was a quality improvement (QI) project conducted at a large urban juvenile short-term detention center. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, INTERVENTIONS, AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The intervention included educating all staff and care providers, counseling detained young women on various contraceptive options, and offering contraception initiation with oral contraceptive pills or depot medroxyprogesterone acetate injection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMeasurements of CD4CD31 cells gave results consistent with those expected for recent thymus emigrant (RTE) CD4 cells. The method was markedly simpler than established procedures for measurement of CD4 RTE cells and is usable in locations with limited facilities and budgets.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Robust immune restoration in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients is dependent on thymic function. However, few studies have investigated thymic function and its correlation with disease progression over time in HIV-positive patients.
Methods: In this longitudinal prospective study, we followed 69 HIV-positive patients who were perinatally infected.
Objectives: Individuals with perinatally acquired HIV infection have benefited from antiretroviral therapy. However, they often have complex patterns of major resistance mutations that limit the effectiveness of available antiretroviral medications. Knowledge of incidence rates of major antiretroviral resistance mutations should provide a benchmark enabling comparisons of different HIV care delivery modalities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol
October 2015
Study Objective: Persons aged 15-24 years have the highest rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Adolescents in protective services custody may be at even greater risk of acquiring STIs, but little is known about the prevalence of STIs among this population. We therefore set out to assess the prevalence of STIs among adolescents seen in the Harris County Child Protective Services Clinic.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Despite dramatic decreases in rates of perinatal mother-to-child-transmission (PMTCT) of HIV in the United States, rates in some groups remain above the national average. Our objective was to examine factors contributing to a high rate of PMTCT of HIV.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of HIV-exposed infants and their mothers referred to the University of Texas-Houston Pediatric HIV Clinic from January 2000 to June 2007.
J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol
August 2013
Information is provided for clinicians who treat adolescents and adult women to use when counseling patients about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. A literature search was done to determine: (1) reasons for refusal of the vaccine, including cost and concerns that immunization against HPV will lead to promiscuity; (2) potential for non-sexual transmission of HPV; (3) non-genital locations of HPV; (4) non-genital cancers associated with HPV. Vaccines for Children Program and the Affordable Care Act eliminate many costs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Use of honey pacifiers by infants presenting to a pediatric clinic at a county hospital in Houston, Texas, was observed by several of our staff members. Although we could not find any published studies linking the use of honey pacifiers to infant botulism, we also could not find any studies assessing the prevalence of honey pacifier use in general.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive study using a novel survey that had 19 items.
J Pediatr Health Care
September 2009
Of 997 minority high school students, 8.6% had tattoos and 8% piercings (excluding earlobes); 21% with tattoos and 59% with piercings would not repeat the experience. Fifty-eight percent with tattoos and 43% with piercings reported parental knowledge before the procedure; 75% and 80%, respectively, were asked for proof of parental consent.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSemin Pediatr Infect Dis
July 2005
This article addresses the epidemiology of several common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in adolescents. Chlamydia is a common occurrence in adolescents, more so than is gonorrhea, but both are of particular concern because they may cause pelvic inflammatory disease. Many experts recommend screening for chlamydia in sexually active adolescents, particularly females.
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