Objectives: The use of antiretroviral drugs among HIV-infected adolescents has been challenged with poor medication adherence, leading to an unsuppressed viral load and ultimately to drug resistance. Recently, dolutegravir has been approved for use in adolescents with HIV, but the evidence on medication adherence and viral load suppression is limited. The study determined the effect of dolutegravir-based drug regimens on the level of medication adherence and viral load among treatment-experienced adolescents.
Methods: A longitudinal pre-post design study was done among adolescents living with HIV at a paediatrics clinic in Nigeria. Assessment of medication adherence and viral load testing was done before and at six months of transitioning to dolutegravir-based regimens. McNemar-chi-square was used to determine the effectiveness of the drug on adherence and viral load suppression. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the predictors of drug adherence and viral suppression.
Results: The mean age of the participants was 14.7 years (SD=3.2), and 53.3 % were males. The mean duration of ART use was 10.3 years (SD=3.2). Six months after transitioning to dolutegravir, there was a significant decrease in viral load (Z=-7.947, p<0.001) and an increase in medication adherence score (Z=-7.554, p<0.001), among the treatment-experienced adolescents. Viral suppression was 13 times higher among respondents with good medication adherence as compared to those with poor medication adherence (AOR=13.24, CI=3.25-53.90).
Conclusions: Dolutegravir is effective in improving medication adherence and viral suppression among Adolescents living with HIV. Thus, the need to transition eligible adolescents to dolutegravir to sustain better treatment outcomes.
Around the world, idiopathic scoliosis accounts for the majority of occurrences of adolescent scoliosis. The absence of underlying congenital or neuromuscular problems distinguishes adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), which affects children ages 13 to 18, from other kinds of scoliosis. The prevalence of AIS is influenced by a number of variables, such as physical activity, gender, backpacks, body mass index, and others. AIS has an impact on the child's development not just physically but also psychologically, emotionally, and mentally. This study used nationwide databases to describe the prevalence of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and associated risk variables. The current review analysis showed that AIS was significant worldwide and that adolescent gender, physical activity, body mass index, backpack carrying and backpack weight were all significant risk factors for developing AIS.
Objectives: Widespread use of telemedicine for contraceptive care, including long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), was adopted in the United States in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the rapid implementation of these services, little is known about the use of telemedicine for adolescent and young adult (AYA) contraceptive care. This study examined the routine use of telemedicine for LARC post-insertion care by comparing visit attendance between AYAs receiving LARC before and after the COVID-19 pandemic onset.
Methods: This analysis included LARC insertions 3/1/19-11/30/19 (pre-pandemic onset cohort) and 4/1/20-12/31/20 (post-pandemic onset cohort) from three Adolescent Medicine subspecialty clinics in the United States. De-identified data were collected via review of the electronic health record. Descriptive statistics, χ2 tests, and t-tests described and compared groups. Adjusted logistic regression models examined factors associated with attending a post-insertion visit and attending this visit via telemedicine.
Results: This analysis included 525 LARC insertions (279 pre- and 246 post-pandemic onset). The proportion of AYAs attending a post-insertion visit increased after the COVID-19 pandemic onset (pre 30 % vs. post 46 %; p≤0.001). Adjusted models revealed that the post-pandemic onset cohort was nearly twice as likely to attend a post-insertion visit as the pre-pandemic onset cohort (OR=1.90; 95 % CI=1.68-2.15). Of those attending this visit in the post-pandemic onset cohort (n=112), 42 % utilized telemedicine.
Conclusions: AYAs were more likely to attend post-insertion visits after the COVID-19 pandemic onset than before. Telemedicine may have influenced this change in visit attendance.
Objectives: Growing global human mobility raises concerns about impacts on global health, particularly on the prevalence of sickle cell disease. This research unveiled the level of genetic literacy on sickle cell disease of male and female Anglophone and Francophone youth living in Canada. The research responded to questions about whether the type of information about the disease has been more prevalent among the youth's family, friends, acquaintances and school circles, and the influence of such information on shaping the current youth level of genetic literacy on the disease.
Methods: An online survey hosted by a Canadian university (2019/2020) platform was conducted with youth (n=87, aged 16-29) recruited in their natural, social environments in seven Canadian provinces. Data analysis used descriptive statistics and manual qualitative content analysis.
Results: Youth, mostly Canadian-born, 71.42 % Francophones and 67.12 % Anglophones, descend from parents who had been born in countries at risk for the disease. Results indicated that experiential knowledge is due to the familiarity with the disease occurrence among family members and acquaintances. Participants did not comment about how academic-gained knowledge could influence their own decision on becoming a parent.
Conclusions: Independently of their country of birth, Canadian youth seem to have unmet information needs: a complex challenge requiring creativity and simplicity to deliver information through attractive media.
Objectives: Adolescents may suffer from binge eating (BE), that refers to consuming a large amount of food in a short period of time and accompanied by feelings of loss of control (LOC) over eating. This study compared the prevalence of BE between 16-year-old Malaysian girls from two types of public schools, Malay-English-medium and Chinese-Malay-English-medium schools. Additionally, this study identified associated risk factors of those who presented regular BE episodes, including LOC eating, anxiety, body mass index (BMI), body dissatisfaction (BD) and eating disorders (EDs) psychopathology.
Methods: 398 participants completed self-reports assessing BE symptoms, LOC eating, state anxiety, trait anxiety, EDs psychopathology, and BD. They also reported heights and weights. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, chi-square tests, and Z-test for independent proportions were conducted.
Results: There was no significant difference in either the prevalence of BE or EDs psychopathology between participants from the two types of schools. 71 (17.8 %) participants reported moderate-to-severe symptoms of BE, and 46 (11.6 %) reported moderate-to-severe levels of LOC eating. Those who reported moderate-to-severe symptoms of BE reported significantly higher levels of LOC eating, BD, drive to be thinner, BMI, state anxiety, and EDs psychopathology, compared to those who reported none-to-minimal BE.
Conclusions: BE and LOC eating appeared to be relatively common among secondary school girls in Malaysia. The relatively high prevalence of BE amongst adolescents in our sample highlighted the importance of early identification of signs for BE as preventive measures from developing EDs psychopathology among children and adolescents. We propose that attitudes towards eating and body image-related concerns should be included in school screenings aimed at preventing psychological problems in minors.
Objectives: This article aims to analyze the vulnerabilities experienced by Haitian adolescent girls before their pregnancy.
Methods: A qualitative research design was developed from Dewey's social survey. From October 2020 to January 2021, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 33 pregnant adolescents living in Haiti's North and North-East departments. Thematic data analysis was performed using the qualitative data analysis software QDA miner, 6.0.5.
Results: The adolescent girls interviewed were between 14 and 19. The study showed that adolescent girls experienced economic and social hardship, gender issues, and barriers to contraceptive use before pregnancy. These girls have experienced restrictive conditions that make them vulnerable to risky sexual practices and unwanted pregnancy.
Conclusions: The results have indicated that Haitian adolescent girls' vulnerabilities before their pregnancy result from economic, social, and cultural injustices to which they are exposed from early childhood. These adolescent girls are also highly vulnerable to sexual exploitation and rape, as well as pregnancy. It is essential to address these issues when implementing programs aimed at improving the living conditions of adolescents in Haiti, including the prevention of early and unwanted pregnancy.
Objectives: Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) has become popular in many parts of the world, especially in Africa, for people to learn about their HIV status and get motivation for positive sexual behaviour change. Our study explored the attitude and practice of secondary school students towards VCT.
Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in Magu, Mwanza, North-West Tanzania. Recorded information included sex, factors promoting or hindering VCT attendance, reasons why attending VCT is necessary, awareness of VCT locations and source of information.
Results: Of the 340 students interviewed, 93.2 % knew that VCT was necessary and had reasons such as getting Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) education, checking HIV status and getting advice if found to be HIV positive. The majority (74.4 %) knew the location of the VCT centres. However, only 20.3 % made use of the VCT services. Those who did not use VCT services had reasons such as time limitations, believing they were not infected and fear of being labelled HIV positive.
Conclusions: Our study shows that most secondary school students know that VCT is necessary and the locations of the VCT centres, but only a few use VCT services. More effort should be put into educating students and society on the importance of using VCT services.
Objectives: Digital media has become an indispensable facet of adolescents' everyday lives, playing a crucial role in their daily routines, encompassing various activities such as accessing information, accomplishing academic tasks, and facilitating interpersonal communication. Literature evidence on the effects of digital media on cognitive health is bi-directional, having both positive and negative impacts. The present research aimed to explore the perceptions of digital media consumption on cognitive health in late adolescents between the age of 17 and 21 years.
Methods: A self-reported online survey was administered to 173 adolescents, and the data were analysed using statistical software (SPSS 17).
Results: The findings revealed that some late adolescents recognize the importance of cognition in their daily activities and health, particularly for activities focused on cognitive, academic, personal, and social skills. Mobile phones, laptops, and television were the most commonly preferred gadgets, while e-pads, Alexa, smartwatches, Kindle, tablets, and play stations were less preferred. Interestingly, a high proportion of participants reported neutral perceptions of digital media's influence on cognitive health, highlighting the need to create awareness and educate late adolescents on healthy digital media consumption.
Conclusions: The findings hold significant implications for the development of comprehensive guidelines and evidence-based recommendations for digital media usage among late adolescents. Additionally, the research sheds light on the strategies adopted by adolescents to regulate and optimize their consumption of digital media, thereby providing valuable insights into effective practices and potential areas for improvement.
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