by Kristin Cantu on November 17, 2009
The CDC just released its annual report on sexually transmitted diseases and the results for teens are pretty disturbing. Although 15- to 24-year-olds represent only 25% of the sexually experienced population, they acquire nearly half of all new STDs.
The report notes that sexually active teens are at a higher risk of contracting an STD because of a combination of behavioral, biological and cultural reasons. Barriers to accessing quality STD prevention services– like lack of insurance and transportation, or concerns about confidentiality, may also play a big role, the study concludes. Full story »
by Childrens Hospital Boston staff on October 10, 2009
Other stories we’ve been reading:
• The Washington Post reports on an interactive Web site from Microsoft Corp that employs the same triage calculations used by clinicians at Emory University to help determine when patients under 12 should see a doctor about their flu symptoms.
• A study led by Nina S. Kadan-Lottick, MD, MSPH, FAAP, of the Yale Cancer Center, shows that nearly 50 percent of childhood cancer survivors never marry.
• The Boston Globe finds that many Massachusetts hospitals are increasing their focus on the patient experience by offering more amenities such as free wireless service, flat screen TVs and a greater number of private rooms.
• WebMD reports on a new survey from the September issue of Pediatrics which shows that a majority of parents don’t know how to properly determine their child’s correct height and weight based on the growth charts provided by their pediatricians.
• Yahoo News reports on the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) findings that schools are making slight improvements in limiting some types of junk food available on school property, just not all junk food. Full story »
by The HealthMap Team on October 1, 2009
by The HealthMap Team on September 23, 2009
by The HealthMap Team on August 28, 2009
by Claire McCarthy on August 13, 2009
Dr. Claire McCarthy is a primary care physician and the Medical Communications Editor at Boston Children’s Hospital. Along with her blogs here on Thriving, you can find her at the Huffington Post and Boston.com. Follow her on Twitter @drClaire.
Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a chemical used in the plastic liners of cans to prevent spoilage of canned foods, and in a variety of other plastic products to make them clear and shatterproof—which makes it particularly attractive for making baby bottles. Recently, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health recommended that pregnant and breastfeeding women, and children ages 2 and younger, limit their exposure to BPA. What does this mean for you? Full story »
by Annie Cardi on August 7, 2009
Other articles on kids’ health we’ve been reading this week:
- The FDA is requiring stronger warning labels for medicines with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) blockers, which are used to treat inflammatory diseases such as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease. Warnings will highlight the increased risk of childhood cancer. Full story »
Here are this week’s H1N1 updates from the 
Here are this week’s H1N1 updates from the 
Here are this week’s H1N1 updates from the 
