Reviews
Payment and Financing for Substance Use Screening and Brief Intervention for Adolescents and Adults in Health, School, and Community Settings
Screening and brief intervention (SBI) is an evidence-based, cost-effective practice to address unhealthy substance use. With SBI services expanding beyond healthcare settings (e.g., schools, community organizations) and reaching younger populations, sustainability efforts must consider payment and financing. This narrative review incorporated rapid scoping review methods and a search of the gray literature to determine payment and financing approaches for SBI with adolescents and to describe related barriers and facilitators for its sustainability.Problem Solving as an Active Ingredient in Indicated Prevention and Treatment of Youth Depression and Anxiety: An Integrative Review
Problem solving is a common focus of psychological interventions for young people. However, existing evidence syntheses are relatively limited in their scope and conclusions. Taking a transdiagnostic approach and incorporating diverse sources of evidence, we examined the role of problem solving as an active ingredient for the indicated prevention and treatment of depression and anxiety in 14–24-year-olds. Three information sources were integrated using framework synthesis: (1) a systematic review of randomized controlled trials of problem solving; (2) a metasynthesis of qualitative evidence on the therapeutic experience of problem solving; and (3) consultations with a Youth Advisory Group.Cardiovascular Health of Youth During Gender-Affirming Testosterone Treatment: A Review
Many birth-assigned female/transgender male and nonbinary people (identified as masculine spectrum here) begin gender-affirming testosterone therapy by the age of 24 years. Few data inform assessment of cardiovascular health of masculine spectrum youth as a specific subgroup of the 1.5 million transgender people in the United States. The purpose of this review is to help youth-serving practitioners consider, understand, and evaluate cardiovascular health in adolescent and young adult masculine spectrum patients receiving gender-affirming testosterone treatment.Applying Behavioral Economics to Improve Adolescent and Young Adult Health: A Developmentally-Sensitive Approach
Each day, adolescents and young adults (AYAs) choose to engage in behaviors that impact their current and future health. Behavioral economics represents an innovative lens through which to explore decision-making among AYAs. Behavioral economics outlines a diverse set of phenomena that influence decision-making and can be leveraged to develop interventions that may support behavior change. Up to this point, behavioral economic interventions have predominantly been studied in adults. This article provides an integrative review of how behavioral economic phenomena can be leveraged to motivate health-related behavior change among AYAs.Predictors of Cigarette Smoking Cessation in Adolescents: A Systematic Review
To update a systematic review published in 2012 that identified predictors of cigarette smoking cessation among adolescents.Vitamin D in Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis of Available Recommendations
Practical guidelines help clinicians make their preventive and therapeutic choices and improve care management. Our purpose was to collect and synthesize available recommendations concerning vitamin D in adolescents (aged 10–19 years).School-Based Physical Activity Interventions in Prevocational Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses
Literature detailing the effectiveness of school-based physical activity promotion interventions in prevocational adolescents was reviewed to identify effective intervention characteristics.Scaling-up Normative Change Interventions for Adolescent and Youth Reproductive Health: An Examination of the Evidence
Adolescent and youth reproductive health (AYRH) outcomes are influenced by factors beyond individual control. Increasingly, interventions are seeking to influence community-level normative change to support healthy AYRH behaviors. While evidence is growing of the effectiveness of AYRH interventions that include normative change components, understanding on how to achieve scale-up and wider impact of these programs remains limited. We analyzed peer-reviewed and gray literature from 2000 to 2017 describing 42 AYRH interventions with community-based normative change components that have scaled-up in low/middle-income countries.A Systematic Global Review of Condom Availability Programs in High Schools
High levels of HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and pregnancy among adolescents has motivated some countries to consider the implementation of condom availability programs (CAPs) in high schools. In this present study, we analyzed the impact of CAP on students' sexual behaviors and health outcomes.A Review of Systematic Reviews Targeting the Prevention and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adolescent Populations
Adolescent obesity is a powerful predictor of morbidity and mortality, yet amenable to modifiable behaviors. To accurately summarize the effects of behavioral interventions on changes in adolescent body mass index and/or weight status, we assessed existing systematic reviews for reporting transparency and methodological quality.Meningococcal Group A, C, W, and Y Tetanus Toxoid Conjugate Vaccine: A Review of Clinical Data in Adolescents
MenACWY-TT (Nimenrix) is a quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine containing polysaccharides from serogroups A, C, W, and Y conjugated to a tetanus toxoid carrier protein. MenACWY-TT is licensed in some countries as a three-dose primary series in individuals as young as 6 weeks of age and as a single dose in individuals ≥12 months of age. MenACWY-TT use is supported by long-term immunogenicity and safety across age groups, including data from several phase 2, 3, and 4 clinical studies in adolescents and young adults.Educating and Training the Future Adolescent Health Workforce
Unprecedented attention is now focused on adolescents with growing appreciation of their disease burden and of the opportunities of investing in adolescent health. New investments are required to build the technical capacity for policy, programming, research, and clinical care across the world, especially in resource-poor settings where most adolescents live. Strategies to educate and train the future workforce are needed. Competency-based education and training is the standard of education in preservice (undergraduate and postgraduate) health education and medical specialty training.How Marginalized Young People Access, Engage With, and Navigate Health-Care Systems in the Digital Age: Systematic Review
This systematic review examines how marginalized young people access and engage with health services and navigate health-care systems in high-income countries.Sexting and the Definition Issue
Sexting among youths has become a necessary topic of interest in research because of the negative consequences that this activity could create, especially when content is shared with others. Indeed, this loss of control could lead to humiliation, (cyber)bullying, or harassment. The development of new technologies, press coverage, and increase of prevalence rates could also explain the growth of interest in sexting. However, its definition is still a gray area. This review examines the different definitions of sexting used in the literature and its correlates.Over-the-Counter Access to Oral Contraceptives for Adolescents
Oral contraceptives (OCs) are used by millions of women in the U.S. The requirement to obtain OCs by prescription from a clinician may serve as a barrier to contraceptive initiation and continuation for women, in particular adolescents. Over-the-counter (OTC) availability would reduce this barrier and could further reduce unintended pregnancy rates. This review explores the scientific issues and regulatory processes involved in switching OCs to OTC status for minor adolescents. We review: (1) the regulatory criteria for switching a drug to OTC status; (2) risk of pregnancy and safety during use of OCs including combined oral contraceptives and progestin-only pills for adolescents; (3) the ability of adolescents to use OCs consistently and correctly; (4) OTC access to OCs and potential effect on sexual risk behaviors; and (5) the potential for reduced opportunities for clinicians to counsel and provide recommended reproductive health care to adolescents.Adolescent Awareness and Use of Electronic Cigarettes: A Review of Emerging Trends and Findings
Adult electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use is increasing globally, and early studies have suggested that similar trends may be observed among the adolescent population, albeit at lower levels. The current literature review presents data collected since 2014 from 21 cross-sectional studies and one cohort study that were all published in English. In particular, it focuses on awareness, ever use, past 30-day use, and regular use of e-cigarettes. The article suggests that adolescents are nearing complete awareness of e-cigarettes.Arab Adolescents: Health, Gender, and Social Context
This article reviews the evidence about adolescent health in the Arab world, against the background of social, economic, and political change in the region, and with a particular focus on gender. For the literature review, searches were conducted for relevant articles, and data were drawn from national population- and school-based surveys and from the Global Burden of Disease project. In some parts of the Arab world, adolescents experience a greater burden of ill health due to overweight/obesity, transport injuries, cardiovascular and metabolic conditions, and mental health disorders than those in other regions of the world.Addressing Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Violence Among Adolescents: Emerging Evidence of Effectiveness
Intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual violence (SV) are widespread among adolescents and place them on a lifelong trajectory of violence, either as victims or perpetrators. The aim of this review was to identify effective approaches to prevent adolescent IPV and SV and to identify critical knowledge gaps. The interventions reviewed in this article reflect the global focus on interventions addressing violence perpetrated by men against women in the context of heterosexual relationships. Interventions for girls and boys (10–19 years) were identified through electronic searches for peer-reviewed and gray literature such as reports and research briefs.Creating an Enabling Environment for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health: A Framework and Promising Approaches
This article provides a conceptual framework and points out the key elements for creating enabling environments for adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH). An ecological framework is applied to organize the key elements of enabling environments for ASRH. At the individual level, strategies that are being implemented and seem promising are those that empower girls, build their individual assets, and create safe spaces. At the relationship level, strategies that are being implemented and seem promising include efforts to build parental support and communication as well as peer support networks.A Systematic Review of Self-Medication Practices Among Adolescents
The purpose was to systematically review the global trends and factors influencing self-medication (SM) among adolescents. Databases (Medline/Pubmed, Ingenta, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CINAHL, Proquest, Scopus, and Google Scholar) were searched for peer-reviewed research published between January 2000 and December 2013 on SM among adolescents aged 13–18 years. Articles were scrutinized for country of origin, sample size, recall period, prevalence rates and associations, influencing factors, medicines used, self-medicated health complaints, sources of drug information, recommendation and procurement, knowledge about medicines, and adverse drug reactions.Adolescent and Young Adult Health in the United States in the Past Decade: Little Improvement and Young Adults Remain Worse Off Than Adolescents
Adolescence and young adulthood are unique developmental periods that present opportunities and challenges for improving health. Health at this age can affect health throughout the lifespan. This review has two aims: (1) to examine trends in key indicators in outcomes, behaviors, and health care over the past decade for U.S. adolescents and young adults; and (2) to compare U.S. adolescents and young adults on these indicators. The review also assesses sociodemographic differences in trends and current indicators.Challenging Recruitment of Youth With Type 2 Diabetes Into Clinical Trials
To better understand and overcome difficulties with recruitment of adolescents with type 2 diabetes into clinical trials at three United States institutions, we reviewed recruitment and retention strategies in clinical trials of youth with various chronic conditions. We explored whether similar strategies might be applicable to pediatric patients with type 2 diabetes.A Systematic Review of Interventions for Preventing Adolescent Intimate Partner Violence
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive global health issue affecting adolescents. We reviewed randomized controlled trials of interventions to reduce physical, sexual, and psychological violence perpetration and victimization among adolescents.Rapid Point-of-Care HIV Testing in Youth: A Systematic Review
This review examines the literature surrounding acceptability of, and preference for, rapid point-of-care (POC) human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing in youth, documents notification rates when youth were offered rapid POC testing, and identifies the sociodemographic factors associated with testing.Effective Health Interventions for Adolescents That Could Be Integrated With Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Programs
We reviewed published data to identify health interventions for 9–15-year-old girls and boys that could to be usefully integrated with programs of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
