This is the first study to determine the immunization status of hospitalized pediatric patients of all ages, including adolescents, providing new data on the immunization status of the inpatient pediatric population. A pilot intervention consisting of obtaining immunization records, determining immunization status, and discussing catch-up dose(s) before discharge resulted in improvement of immunization status, suggesting that the inpatient setting may be used along with many other national strategies to help address missed vaccination opportunities.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:Rates of adult women receiving contraceptive provision when simultaneously prescribed a known teratogen are alarmingly low. The prevalence of this behavior among pediatric providers and their adolescent patients is unknown. The objective of this study was to describe pediatric provider behaviors for prescribing teratogens concurrently with counseling, referral, and/or prescribing of contraception (collectively called contraceptive provision) in the adolescent population.
The purposes of this study were to (a) identify behaviors that put adolescents at risk for HIV infection by retrospectively comparing a cohort of HIV positive and negative young adults and (b) determine gender-specific high-risk profiles. HIV-positive (n = 61) and HIV-negative (n = 124) individuals from two midwestern cities completed a survey tool prepared by the investigators examining six areas of behavior and activity identified in the literature as high risk. Alcohol use, drug use, and gang-related behaviors were not associated with HIV status in these young adults. Early, frequent, and unprotected sex with large numbers of partners were the predictive risk factors for HIV-seropositive status. Gender profiles, however, differed. Whereas the female profile suggested that early and unprotected sex were the only reliable predictors, HIV-positive male subjects had larger numbers of partners, engaged in more risky sexual behaviors, were more likely to have experienced sexual abuse before and during adolescence, and were more likely to have used cocaine during their adolescence. Conclusions include the confirmation of a resurgence of HIV among young males having sex with males and confirmation of females as the largest growing group of HIV-positive young adults.
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