Common Problems of Middle and Late School going Adolescents in a Rural Area of Bangalore

Introduction: Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical, psychological and social development from puberty to legal adulthood.Objectives: To compare the perceived common problems between middle and late adolescents; and to find out the association between common problems of middle and late adolescents, and gender.Material & Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two private schools of rural Bangalore in November 2015. It included High School children aged 14-19 yrs. A pre-tested self reported open-ended questionnaire was administered to the study subjects after getting informed consent from principal and their parents.Statistical Analysis: Data was entered in MS-Excel. Data was analyzed using SPSS software. Association between two proportions was accepted as significant when p value was less than 5% using chi-square test.Results: A total of 481 students aged 14 to19 years participated in the present study. There were 51% males and 49% females. Most of the students were in late adolescence (69.23%). Nearly 30.77% study subjects were in middle adolescent phase. Educational problems were present in most (61.12%) of the students. Psychological problems were found in 18.30% of students. About 16.63% of study subjects were having any one of the health problems. During mid adolescence, educational problems were present in most (43.24%) of the males followed by health problems (33.78%). While females had more health problems (54.69%) than educational problems (26.56%), it was also statistically significant.Conclusion: Counseling and support services with academic assistance should be given to adolescents. Screening of adolescents for common health problems on regular basis could be an effective tool to control the existing disease and to update occurrence of any new disease

Improving the Reproductive Health of Married and Unmarried Youth in India

Provides insights and lessons learned from a ten-year multi-partner research program to improve youth reproductive and sexual health in India. Includes recommendations to strengthen community and government efforts

Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Functioning for Transitional-Aged Youth with Autism

There is mounting evidence to suggest that higher numbers of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are being identified, including a wide range of severity and outcome (Eaves & Ho, 2008). As identification of ASD has improved, there is a larger proportion of identified young adults with ASD (YA-ASD) in the transition to adulthood (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010). Though exceptionally talented in many cases, a large proportion YA-ASD have difficulty establishing independence and navigating the complex social nuances of a workplace, many end up “homebound” with difficulty finding employment (Daley, Weisner, & Singhal, 2014; Shattuck, Wagner, Narendorf, Sterzing, & Hensley, 2011; Taylor & Seltzer, 2011). It is quite likely that remaining homebound has far-reaching effects on the development of self-efficacy and mood functioning. In response to this challenge parents, advocates, and individuals with ASD have developed a technology-training program to help teach skills that will allow individuals with ASD to be independent: increasing skills and kindling hope for the future. The current study sought to explore the impact of the training program components on anxiety, depression, and friendships, specific to YA-ASD in the transition to adulthood. YA-ASD (n = 23) from vocational training program were given Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment - Adult Self-Report (ASR) before and after an 8-week period in a vocational program. Group and individual difference were measured for significant change. Few group significance was observed across the scales of the ASR. Some individual significance was observed, however no patterns of individual significance was found

Start With a Girl: A New Agenda for Global Health

Examines how social factors shape the health issues adolescent girls face in developing countries. Calls for a health agenda for girls, including focused HIV prevention and maternal health advocacy; elimination of child marriage; and secondary education

Early Determinants of Women in the IT Workforce: A Model of Girls’ Career Choices

Purpose – To develop a testable model for girls’ career choices in technology fields based on past research and hypotheses about the future of the information technology (IT) workforce. Design/Methodology/Approach – Review and assimilation of literature from education, psychology, sociology, computer science, IT, and business in a model that identifies factors that can potentially influence a girl’s choice towards or against IT careers. The factors are categorized into social factors (family, peers, and media), structural factors (computer use, teacher/counselor influence, same sex versus coeducational schools), and individual differences. The impact of culture on these various factors is also explored. Findings – The model indicates that parents, particularly fathers, are the key influencers of girls’ choice of IT careers. Teachers and counselors provide little or no career direction. Hypotheses propose that early access to computers may reduce intimidation with technology and that same-sex education may serve to reduce career bias against IT. Research Limitations/Implications – While the model is multidisciplinary, much of research from which it draws is five to eight years old. Patterns of career choices, availability of technology, increased independence of women and girls, offshore/nearshore outsourcings of IT jobs are just some of the factors that may be insufficiently addressed in this study. Practical Implications – A “Recommendations” section provides some practical steps to increase the involvement of girls in IT-related careers and activities at an early age. The article identifies cultural research as a limitation and ways to address this. Originality/value – The paper is an assimilation of literature from diverse fields and provides a testable model for research on gender and IT

Girls Count: A Global Investment & Action Agenda

Explains how girls' welfare affects overall economic and social outcomes. Outlines steps to disaggregate health, education, and other data by age and gender; invest strategically in girls' programs; and ensure equitable benefits for girls in all sectors

Sexual Abuse

Sexual assaults are special crimes that require an inter-multidisciplinary approach. This book brings together the work of distinguished scientists on sex crimes and their prevention. It is organized into two sections on the behavioral aspects of sexual abuse/assault and the methods of responding to these types of cases. Chapters address such topics as child abuse, dating violence in the online era, marital rape, and much more

Eating Disorders among Indian Adolescents

Objective: To assess and compare the prevalence and risk for eating disorders (ED) among middle and late adolescents in India.Materials and Methods: A prospective study conducted among 1855 adolescents of age group 14 years to 19 years from four schools and three colleges in Mangalore city. A standardized structured questionnaire was used to evaluate the subjects’ attitude toward and preoccupation with food, dieting, eating, physical appearance, and personal control over eating. Eating Attitudes Test questionnaire (EAT-26), consisting of 26 questions that assess the symptoms and concerns that are characteristic of eating disorders and four additional questions to asses weight control behavior patterns adapted. Participants who scored 20 and above on EAT were considered to have eating disorder that would require professional attention.Results: 1855 students participated in the study and completed the self-report EAT-26. Among the study participants, 47.3% were in mid-adolescence and 52.7% in late-adolescent age group respectively. 26.7% of participants scored 20 and above; scores attained were correlated with the behavioral patterns adapted which was found to be statistically significant, indicating a high risk for development of eating disorders among adolescents. Higher prevalence of eating disorder was noted in those with increased BMI (p-value <0.0001) but age and gender did not have a significant influence.Conclusion: Eating disorders and subthreshold eating conditions are prevalent in sample of Indian adolescents and were strongly associated with psychological, behavioral and socio-environmental domains, which show the necessity of initiating routine screening programs and intervention programs to control eating disorders among Indian adolescents. Further evaluation, counseling and follow-up with a qualified professional is essential to rule out any underlying cause for eating disorder

Menstruation and related disorders in Indian adolescent girls: an observational study

Background: Menstrual disorders are a common presentation and leading reasons for the physician office visits by adolescents. With this preview, we have made an attempt to evaluate the current changes in the age of menarche, menstruation patterns, the incidence of common menstrual disorders and their etiologies. Aims and objectives of the current study was to evaluate the menstrual disorders, their etiology and treatment modalities in adolescents in tertiary health care setup.Methods: An observational study was carried out on female patients in adolescent age group attending OPD of obstetrics and gynecology, Grant Government Medical College, Mumbai, India. The selected women were explained about the protocol, purpose of the study and were requested to complete the questionnaires to elicit information relating to demographic features, menarche age, and menstrual characteristics. Results were tabulated and analyzed.Results: A total number of 100 cases were included in this study, among them majority were in 16-19 years age group (64%), 79% of the study population belong to the lower class. It was observed that 55% study subject had dysmenorrhoea, 65% had irregular menses, 52% oligomenorrhoea, 13% polymenorrhoea, 28% had menorrhagia, 2% amenorrhea, 10% with PCOS and 2% with endometriosis, 4% with hypothyroidism, 4% with hyperprolactinemia. Most of the study subject responded well to analgesics and hormonal therapy.Conclusions: Menstrual irregularity needs to be evaluated with utmost sensitivity and treated promptly. Lack of sufficient knowledge, awareness regarding menstruation among adolescent girls and social embarrassment should be tackled with education

A Practical Guide to Integrating Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS into Grant Proposals to the Global Fund

Integrating RH and HIV can greatly contribute to mitigating the AIDS pandemic by reducing unintended pregnancy; preventing perinatal transmission; expanding to more target groups; reducing gender based violence; meeting the needs of people living with HIV and providing our youth with the knowledge and services they need. Whether to integrate, how to integrate and exactly what to integrate will depend on a country's epidemiological profile, policies and program structures.Experience with implementation of integration initiatives in countries around the world shows that scale up and sustainability requires attention to policy and program operations issues. This document, with links to a range of resources, will help CCMs, civil society organizations and others developing proposals for the Global Fund that contribute to preventing HIV and mitigating the effects of the AIDS pandemic through programs that link and integrate RH and HIV/AIDS