The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine
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Juvenile-onset fibromyalgia (JFM) affects physical, social, and emotional functioning. Little is known about how social support and social interactions are impacted in the transition to young adulthood for patients diagnosed with JFM. ⋯ Given the developmental importance of social support in adolescence and young adulthood, interventions should include methods of improving social support into fibromyalgia management.
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Observational Study
Baseline Physiologic and Psychosocial Characteristics of Transgender Youth Seeking Care for Gender Dysphoria.
The purpose of this study was to describe baseline characteristics of participants in a prospective observational study of transgender youth (aged 12-24 years) seeking care for gender dysphoria at a large, urban transgender youth clinic. ⋯ Baseline physiologic parameters were within normal ranges for assigned sex at birth. Transgender youth are aware of the incongruence between their internal gender identity and their assigned sex at early ages. Prevalence of depression and suicidality demonstrates that youth may benefit from timely and appropriate intervention. Evaluation of these youth over time will help determine the impact of medical intervention and mental health therapy.
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Young adults (18-24 years) frequently report poorer health care access and experience than older adults. We aimed to investigate how differences between young and older adults vary across 11 high-income countries. ⋯ Associations between age and health care access/experience varied markedly between countries, suggesting that poor access and experience among young adults is not inevitable and may be amenable to policy/practice interventions.
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The purpose of this study was to assess provider practice of expedited partner therapy (EPT) for adolescents with chlamydial infection across varying state policy environments and compare provider practice in a parallel treatment scenario for a nonsexually transmitted disease. ⋯ Further investigation is needed to better understand provider and policy factors that may facilitate EPT provision to adolescents.
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Although rates of adolescent cigarette use have remained constant or decreased, rates of marijuana and e-cigarette use are rising. Knowledge and perceptions of risks and benefits of tobacco products impact adolescents' decisions to use these products. However, little is known regarding adolescents' knowledge and perceptions of risks of e-cigarettes and marijuana nor how these perceptions are formed. This study uses qualitative techniques to assess and compare adolescents' perceptions of the risks and benefits of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and marijuana. ⋯ Adolescents have learned from multiple sources about risks of using cigarettes, but they receive much less and often incorrect information regarding marijuana and e-cigarettes, likely resulting in their positive and often ambivalent perceptions of marijuana and e-cigarettes.