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Background: For better perception of adolescent overweight and obesity as a global public health problem, systematic collection of baseline data is urgently needed in India. Objective: A community-based study was undertaken for better perception of the prevalence and correlates of obesity in an adolescent urban community in Katihar, Bihar. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among urban adolescents in the eastern part of India to find out prevalence of overweight and obesity and sociodemographic correlates by interview technique followed by clinical examination with ethical consideration. Results: Out of 400 adolescent study participants, 21% were overweight or obese. The study showed that there was a significant association between less consumption of vegetable foods, fruits, meals cooked outside the home, alcohol consumption, yoga practice, socioeconomic status, and the occurrence of overweight/obesity in the adolescents. Conclusions: We attempted to find out the prevalence and risk correlates of overweight and obesity among adolescents and found it quite alarming compared to developed countries. The urban underserved population in India has difficulty to access quality healthcare and not conscious enough to seek healthcare until critically ill. Community-based studies are required to highlight the problem of obesity among urban adolescents by a comprehensive approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Youth Substance Abuse Service (YSAS) was conceived and developed as a youth alcohol and other drug (AOD) service when few adolescent treatment models existed. Although initially funded to provide drug support and treatment, our developing practice, training and research findings encouraged us to view our role more broadly. Now with 10 years' experience, YSAS increasingly draws on social health concepts and primary health practices to describe our work with young drug users. Through our growing practice and training experience we have developed services to meet client needs. Evaluation of these services and further research has refined our thinking and provided a theoretical basis for our work. This paper sets out to describe the evolution of a youth AOD service, and demonstrate how social health concepts and primary health practices have helped frame and facilitate our responses to young drug users during YSAS' first 10 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Nonfatal fight-related injuries among youths result in lost capacity and high costs of medical care and rehabilitation and constitute a major public health problem. This study identifies factors that predict the occurrence of a fight-related injury that requires medical attention among boys and girls. Methods. We analyzed data from 14,787 adolescents who completing 2 interviews, approximately 1 year apart, in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a nationally representative, school-based sample of youths. We identified time 1 factors at the community, family, and individual levels that predicted any self-reported fight-related injury that required medical treatment at time 2. Results. Factors that predict future injury among both boys and girls in multivariate models were violence-related factors: witnessing or being a victim of violence (odds ratio [OR]: 3.69; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.81-7.49 for boys; OR: 5.13; 95% CI: 1.25-21.09 for girls), history of a violence-related injury (OR: 2.30; 95% CI: 1.60- 3.29 for boys; OR: 3.18; 95% CI: 1.87-5.41 for girls), and physical fighting (OR: 2.02; 95% CI: 1.44-2.84 for boys; OR: 5.15; 95% CI: 3.18-8.34 for girls). Among boys, illicit drug use was also an independent predictor of future injury (OR: 1.72; 95% CI: 1.24-2.37), whereas excellent perceived general health (OR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.25-0.93) and a high grade point average (OR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.29-0.95) were significant protective factors against fight-related injury. Girls who reported a high level of depressive symptoms were much more likely to report fight-related injury than nondepressed girls (OR: 8.98; 95% CI: 2.43-33.25). Conclusions. Factors related to violence, substance use, school achievement, and physical and mental health predicted a future fight-related injury that required medical treatment. The results could assist health and social service providers, educators, and others in identifying youths who are at high... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. This study assessed youth health in the Caribbean Community and Common Market countries and describes the prevalence of health-related factors. Methods. We used a self-administered classroom questionnaire; questions addressed general health, health care, nutrition, sexual history, drug use, mental health, violence, family characteristics, and relationships with others. Results. Most youths reported good health; however, 1 in 10 reported a limiting disability or significant health problems. Violence was a pervasive concern. Of those who reported history of sexual intercourse, many reported that their first intercourse was forced, and nearly half reported that they were aged 10 years or younger when they first had intercourse. Conclusions. Although most young people are healthy, problems indicate the importance of monitoring trends and designing effective youth health programs. (Am J Public Health. 2003;93:1851-1857) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We developed a simulation model to predict the effects of policies aimed at reducing smoking initiation by youths younger than 18 years. Methods. The model projected the number of smokers, never smokers, and ex-smokers by age, sex, and racial/ethnic group and the effects of reductions in youth initiation. Results. The model predicted that even if tobacco policies eliminated youth initiation, the number of smokers would not be halved for more than 30 years. If initiation were halved and some of the initiation were delayed rather than eliminated, substantially smaller reductions would result. Conclusions. Policies that increase cessation rates are needed to reduce the number of current smokers and the more near-term health problems. (Am J Public Health. 2000;90:1311-1314) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author comments on the need for strengthening clinical research to protect children and young people. The Nuffield Council on Bioethics in England published its report "Children and Clinical Research: Ethical Issues," on May 14, 2015, which heard evidence from children and young people, parents and professionals concerned with clinical research. The report is said to have made 19 recommendations.

Individuals aged 29 years or less comprise 29.8% of the population of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, yet preliminary data collected at the Vancouver Native Health (VNH) clinic, one of three major providers for DTES residents, showed that only 7.3% of this population were accessing the clinic (1). UBC Medical students founded the Vancouver Native Health Youth Initiative (VNHYI) to address this discrepancy by holding a youth drop-in on Wednesday evenings at the VNH Clinic. Although preliminary data and physician's observations confirm an increased number of youth utilizing the clinic since the VNHYI began, the demographic information and success of the VNHYI in decreasing barriers to health care faced by youth has not been formally assessed. Participants were recruited using research posters displayed at the drop-in and multiple choice surveys were utilized to collect information. Youth were asked to rate statements regarding the effectiveness of the Initiative in overcoming various barriers to health care on a scale of strongly disagree to strongly agree. Demographic information was compared to Census data from the Government of BC and the survey answers were compiled and analyzed. Our results demonstrate that the youth accessing our services are overwhelmingly Caucasian and Aboriginal, while there is an under representation of Asian and Black ethnicities relative to their population. Younger teenagers were not as represented as youth in their twenties. The majority of youth felt that the drop-in alleviated previously identified barriers to health care such as a judgemental attitude, lack of access, and safety. This work increases our understanding of which youth are accessing, why youth are accessing, and what has been helpful to them. We will use the demographic data to target our advertising and promotional materials to younger teens and other ethnicities in order to increase their awareness and access to services. The role of the VNHYI in decreasing barriers to health care and increasing the access of the DTES youth population demonstrates that the youth drop-in is a necessary and beneficial intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Latino youth in low-income households have a higher likelihood of poor educational and health outcomes than their peers. Protective factors, such as parental support, improve chances of success for youth. A community–academic partnership used community-based participatory research principles to examine perceptions of resilience among Latino young people in low-income households. Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted in 2007 with Latino young people living in an urban low-income housing complex (n=20); their parents (n=10); and representatives from local community-based organizations (n=8) to explore their definitions of youth “success,” and barriers to and facilitators of success. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, coded, and analyzed using content-analysis and grounded theory in 2007. Results: Participants identified self, family, and community factors as potential sources of support. Parents appeared to de-emphasize community resources, expressing that success resulted primarily from a child''s individual desire, bolstered by family support. All stakeholder groups perceived peers more as potential barriers to achieving success than as potential sources of support. Conclusions: These findings raise the possibility that in this community, low-income Latino parents'' beliefs about community resources may act as a barrier to seeking assistance outside the family. Results also suggest that Latino youth recognize the benefits of interacting with adults outside the family and are accepting of help from the community. Resilience promotion programs in this population may benefit from engaging parents and community members in addition to young people. Parent-focused programs could explore parental beliefs about youth success, and youth programs could engage adult community members to generate positive interactions and messages. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article reports on a study about the experiences of young people concerning their local health services. It features a case where a rapid action on the improvement of health was observed. Some of the ways of improving public health and the ways in which these improvements increase the health gap in children and young people are discussed.