Fibroid embolization "fails" more in young women

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HIV Fight, Through a Young Doctor's Eyes

Dr. Helen Koenig has grown up watching the evolution of HIV treatment. Now she looks forward to a cure. (Dr. Helen Koenig)

A 35-year-old physician based in Philadelphia, Dr. Helen Koenig primarily treats patients with HIV. In her lifetime, AIDS has gone from a death sentence to a disease patients can live with for decades.

This past week, she's been attending the International AIDS conference in Washington, D.C. -- her first -- and its themes and findings are part of the highs and lows of her life as a physician who treats HIV.

Koenig started practicing two years ago at the Jonathan Lax Center, a community HIV clinic that is part of the comprehensive AIDS service organization Philadelphia FIGHT.

"As a young HIV doctor, this was going to be a landmark conference that I couldn't miss," said Koenig. The location itself was historic, marking the return of the conference after more than two decades, thanks to the federal government's recent lifting of the ban on travel visas to the U.S. for people with HIV.

The conference hasn't disappointed. Thirty years after the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, 30 million deaths and untold human suffering later, experts have finally dared to speak of "turning the tide," on the epidemic, and -- perhaps even more boldly -- a cure.

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Mysterious nodding disease afflicts young Ugandans

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Young Cancer Patients Often Lack Support: Study

HealthDay – 1 hr 40 mins ago MONDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- Many teens and young adults diagnosed with cancer aren't receiving the social, psychological and informational support they require, new research suggests.

Cancer patients aged 14 to 39 have different needs and issues than younger and older patients, the researchers explained.

"When patients in this age group are diagnosed with cancer, they face issues -- premature confrontation with mortality, changes in physical appearance, disruptions in school or work, financial challenges and loss of reproductive capacity -- that can all be particularly distressing," study lead author Bradley Zebrack, associate professor of social work at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, said in a university news release.

"Whether it's mental health care, information for topics like infertility or other aspects of care like camps or retreat programs, this study shows that many of these patients aren't getting the care they need to address these unique challenges," he added.

Zebrack and colleagues surveyed 215 newly diagnosed teen and young adult cancer patients. Those in their 20s were much less likely than teens or patients in their 30s to use mental-health services and were more likely to report an unmet need for information about cancer, infertility and diet.

Young adults who were treated in adult, rather than pediatric, cancer facilities were more likely than teens who were treated in pediatric facilities to report an unmet need for age-appropriate websites, mental-health services, camp and retreat programs, transportation assistance and complementary and alternative health services.

The study was published online recently in the journal Cancer.

The lack of research involving teen and young adult cancer patients makes it difficult for health care providers to create age-appropriate services for them, Zebrack said. This study might help change that.

"Our research shows increasing patient referral to community-based social service agencies and reputable Internet resources can enhance the care and improve the quality of life for this group of patients," Zebrack said. "The more we know about their needs, the better support health care professionals will be able to provide."

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about support for people with cancer.

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Leaky bladder affects young women too

Reuters – 2 hrs 20 mins ago NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Bladder control problems may be seen as a problem of older people, but a good percentage of college-age women have symptoms too, a study published Monday suggests.

In a survey of 1,000 young Australian women, researchers found that 13 percent said they'd had urinary incontinence in the past month. That meant problems like leaking urine when they exercised, or often having to rush to the bathroom to avert an accident.

"The traditional belief has been that incontinence really occurs as a consequence of pregnancy and aging," senior researcher Susan R. Davis, of Monash University in Melbourne, said in an email.

"What prompted us to undertake this study was the fact that nobody had actually looked at incontinence in younger women who had never been pregnant," said Davis, whose work was supported by Australian state and federal funds.

The study "contributes significantly to current knowledge about urinary incontinence in young women," said Mary K. Townsend, an epidemiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Townsend, who was not involved in the research, has studied the prevalence of urinary incontinence and possible risk factors for it.

"Overall, a key message from this study is that urinary incontinence is a significant problem for women of all ages," Townsend said in an email.

But, she noted, the 13 percent figure could be either an underestimate or overestimate.

That's because the study participants, who were about 22 years old on average, were recruited from college campuses and health clinics. So they may not be representative of all young women.

"It will be important for future studies to confirm these results in a larger, population-based sample of young women," Townsend said.

LINK TO BIRTH CONTROL USE

The study, which appears in the Annals of Internal Medicine, also tried to weed out the possible risk factors for urinary incontinence in young, never-pregnant women.

It turned out that women were sexually active and not using birth control pills had the highest risk: about 22 percent had urinary problems in the past month.

That compared with rates of around 10 percent among women who had either never had sex or were sexually active and on the Pill.

The link to sexual activity might be related to urinary tract infections, Townsend speculated. Sexually active women have a higher rate of UTI, and those infections can trigger incontinence.

But the reasons for the birth control finding are not clear.

Townsend said past studies have come to conflicting conclusions on whether birth control pills are related to higher or lower risks of urinary incontinence -- or whether there's a relationship at all.

She and Davis both said more research is needed to see whether birth control pills, themselves, have any effect on bladder control problems.

There was no strong evidence that overweight young women had an increased risk of incontinence. And that's in contrast to what's been seen among older women.

But Davis said that may be because of numbers: only 15 percent of the study participants were overweight. And as a group, they were fairly healthy and physically active.

"This leaves open the possibility that the rate of incontinence we observed may in fact be an underestimate of the rate in a less healthy group of young women," Davis said.

Both she and Townsend said that young women who find their urinary symptoms troublesome should seek help. In this study, women with symptoms scored lower on a measure of mood and psychological well-being.

"I think the most important take-home message is that if young women experience urinary incontinence they should not feel embarrassed to seek help," Davis said.

There are different options for combating the symptoms, she noted.

Sometimes all you need are lifestyle changes -- like cutting back on caffeine and alcohol, and limiting how much fluid you drink at night.

Another option is "bladder training," which involves tactics like going to the bathroom at fixed times, even if you don't feel like you need to go. That often includes Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic muscles that control urination.

Depending on the type of incontinence, medications -- like oxybutynin (Ditropan), solifenacin (Vesicare), tolterodine (Detrol) -- may also help. But research shows that they work for only a minority of women, and they can have side effects like dry mouth, constipation and blurred vision.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/PdxBlf Annals of Internal Medicine, July 17, 2012.

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Incontinence Affects Young Childless Women, Too

HealthDay – 2 hrs 2 mins ago TUESDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Urinary incontinence is often thought of as a problem that occurs after childbirth or in old age, but a new study finds that many young women who have never given birth have the bothersome condition, too.

Researchers in Australia surveyed more than 1,000 women aged 16 to 30 who had never been pregnant and found that one in eight, or nearly 13 percent, reported having urinary incontinence.

Urinary incontinence means leaking urine during certain activities such as running or sneezing, or being unable to hold urine with a full bladder.

Previous research has found the rates are higher among women who've had children. But this study shows that urinary incontinence can affect women of all ages, regardless of pregnancy history, and that the condition may be underdiagnosed and undertreated in younger women, experts said.

"Although incontinence is more prevalent as women age and with an increasing number of pregnancies, incontinence can affect women of all ages," said Dr. Jill Rabin, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, who was not involved with the study.

The study, by Tessa O'Halloran and colleagues at Monash University, in Melbourne, is published in the July 17 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.

The women who answered the survey came from eight medical clinics and three university campuses in Australia. They were asked to complete a questionnaire about an important issue in women's health, but were not told it was about urinary incontinence prior to filling it out. About 63 percent of those who took surveys returned them.

Commenting on the study, Dr. Elizabeth Kavaler, a urology specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, pointed out that because people who have a problem may be more likely to answer a survey about it, that may mean the study overestimates the number of young women with incontinence.

On the other hand, Rabin noted, the women in the study were mostly normal weight, healthy and active, which may make the incontinence rate a conservative estimate.

There are two types of incontinence -- stress and urge incontinence, which have different causes, experts explained. In the study, about 6 percent of women reported stress incontinence, 4.5 percent reported urge incontinence, and about 2 percent reported both.

Stress incontinence is often caused by a weakening of the pelvic floor muscles that hold the bladder in place. Pregnancy and vaginal deliveries can weaken or damage pelvic floor muscles. But other factors, such as obesity or being overweight, are also associated with stress incontinence, although this study did not find an association between weight and incontinence.

Urge incontinence, or feeling the urge to go but not making it to the bathroom, usually has a neurological cause, in that the brain doesn't have sufficient control over the bladder. Neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, dementia or simply advancing age can contribute to urge incontinence, Kavaler noted.

It's well known that some younger women can experience what is essentially premature aging of that bladder control, and can experience urge incontinence earlier in life.

To alleviate stress incontinence, Kegel exercises, which strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, may help. Women should squeeze their pelvic muscles as if they are stopping the flow of urine for five seconds, then release for five seconds. Repeat that about five times, Rabin advised. Take a break, and then increase your Kegel set up to 10 times in a day.

"Over time, it thickens the muscle that supports the bladder, vagina and rectum and stabilizes it," Rabin said.

If Kegel exercises aren't helping, see your doctor. "There are young women who have urinary control issues, there are treatments, and they should seek help and talk to their doctor about it," Kavaler said.

Rabin pointed out that some women will resort to restricting fluid intake to alleviate incontinence, but that's a bad idea, she said. Dehydration can contribute to urinary tract infections and constipation, which can also stress the pelvic floor muscles during bowel movements.

The study did not receive university or outside funding.

More information

The U.S. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse has more on urinary incontinence.

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Ovarian Transplants May Preserve Fertility in Young Cancer Survivors

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Young Athletes Face Unhealthy Food Choices, Parents Say

HealthDay – 1 hr 19 mins ago FRIDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) -- Children who play organized sports often consume unhealthy foods and beverages, a new study finds.

University of Minnesota researchers interviewed the parents of 60 youth basketball players and found that the youngsters commonly had sweets, such as candy, ice cream and doughnuts; pizza; hot dogs; salty snacks, such as chips, nachos and cheese puffs; and soda and sports drinks.

The parents also reported frequent visits to fast-food restaurants when their children were playing sports.

Although the parents agreed that these foods and beverages are unhealthy, they said rushing to practices and games made them rely more on these types of products due to their convenience.

The researchers also found that parents had difficulty determining whether certain foods and drinks were healthy, and had doubts about whether it was feasible for concession stands at youth sports venues to offer healthy choices.

The study was published in the July/August issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.

"The food environment in youth sports exposes kids and their families to many unhealthful foods and beverages and few healthful options," principal investigator Toben Nelson said in a journal news release. "Youth who participate in sports spend considerable time in these activities outside of school, and these sports environments are likely to influence their eating behavior."

The researchers suggested many ways to promote healthy eating in children who play sports, including integrating nutrition education into youth sports programs and finding ways to improve the nutritional quality of food available at youth sports venues.

More information

The Nemours Foundation has more about feeding your child athlete.

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German court bans circumcision of young boys

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German court bans circumcision of young boys

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Young Men Taking HIV Meds May Be at Risk for Bone Loss

HealthDay – 1 hr 23 mins ago FRIDAY, June 22 (HealthDay News) -- Young men receiving drug treatment for HIV infection are at increased risk for low bone mass, a new study suggests.

The findings indicate that these patients should exercise, take vitamin D and be closely monitored in order to reduce their future risk of bone fractures, according to the study, released online in advance of print publication in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

The study included about 250 male participants, aged 14 to 25, who underwent whole-body scans to measure their bone density. Some of the men were infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

The participants with HIV had been diagnosed with the infection an average of two years earlier. The HIV-infected males had an average 5 percent to 8 percent lower bone density in the hip and 2 percent to 4 percent lower bone density in the spine than those without HIV.

Although the study uncovered an association between treatment for HIV infection and lower bone density in the study participants, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

The study, funded by the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), did not look at the causes of bone loss and cannot rule out the possibility that low bone mass was present before HIV infection.

The investigators noted that all the participants had several risk factors for bone loss, including tobacco and alcohol use and low intake of calcium and vitamin D, which is needed to absorb calcium.

"The young

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Young Men Taking HIV Meds May Be at Risk for Bone Loss

HealthDay – 1 hr 22 mins ago FRIDAY, June 22 (HealthDay News) -- Young men receiving drug treatment for HIV infection are at increased risk for low bone mass, a new study suggests.

The findings indicate that these patients should exercise, take vitamin D and be closely monitored in order to reduce their future risk of bone fractures, according to the study, released online in advance of print publication in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

The study included about 250 male participants, aged 14 to 25, who underwent whole-body scans to measure their bone density. Some of the men were infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

The participants with HIV had been diagnosed with the infection an average of two years earlier. The HIV-infected males had an average 5 percent to 8 percent lower bone density in the hip and 2 percent to 4 percent lower bone density in the spine than those without HIV.

Although the study uncovered an association between treatment for HIV infection and lower bone density in the study participants, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

The study, funded by the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), did not look at the causes of bone loss and cannot rule out the possibility that low bone mass was present before HIV infection.

The investigators noted that all the participants had several risk factors for bone loss, including tobacco and alcohol use and low intake of calcium and vitamin D, which is needed to absorb calcium.

"The young

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Young Kids With Hip, Thigh Fractures Heal Well With Single-Leg Casts

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Brain Injuries: New Concerns for Young Football Players

Lolo Jones Admits Trouble Keeping...More Health HeadlinesAlanis to Breastfeed 'Til Son's 'Finished'No Benefits for Twins Born to Dead DadPom Juice Claims 'Deceptive,' Says JudgeSmart Decisions? Don't Think in EnglishStem Cells Curb Chronic Pain in MiceIn The NewsArthritisAllergiesDr. Richard BesserCold & Flu Home> HealthFootball's Risk Factor: Brain Injuries Raise New Concerns for Young AthletesBy PAULA FARIS and KATIE HINMANMay 24, 2012

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ProStrength and Speed Youth Strength and Conditioning Program Announces Young and Experienced 2012 Summer Staff

ProStrength & Speed Youth Strength and Conditioning Program Announces Young and Experienced 2012 Summer StaffShare: Tweet23
May
2012ProStrength & Speed Youth Strength and Conditioning Program Announces Young and Experienced 2012 Summer StaffTennessee's largest nonprofit youth strength and conditioning program announces its youngest and most qualified summer staff in its 9 year history. (3) graduating Cherokee High School Seniors, (3) Area School Coaches and (4) returning college students will fill Senior Staff positions at ProStrength & Speed for Summer 2012.

Knoxville, TN (1888PressRelease) May 23, 2012 - ProStength & Speed is a youth community health initiative offered by Rural Health Services Consortium, Inc. open to all students 4th - 12th grades. Dr. Calendine announced this week that ProStrength will have its youngest and most qualified senior staff in the program's history. ProStrength is staffed by young people of Hawkins County that have distinguished themselves as leaders within the program. Qualified Junior Staff members are promoted to Senior following High School Graduation. This summer graduating Seniors include Brittany Johnson, Justin House, and Christina Maddox. Following graduation this Saturday, these Seniors all have big college plans. Brittany is a (4) yr member of the varsity softball, basketball, and cross country team at CHS and plans to attend Walter State Community College. Christina has signed to play Basketball this fall for Walter State and Justin will be attending Emory & Henry College where he will be playing football.

Casey Ryans leads a group of Senior Staff members returning to ProStrength on College summer break. Casey put together a very successful prep basketball career at Cherokee High School and has completed her freshman year as a Morehead State University Lady Eagle. Cameron Duckworth returns after his freshman year at David Lipscomb University in Nashville as a Biology Major. Mark Collier has completed his second year of studies in Exercise Science at Walter State where he will earn his associate degree this summer. Gabe Brooks is completing studies at ETSU over the next year and applying for graduate school positions. Each of these young people have moved into leadership positions and are anxious to leave their mark on the program. Their background in various sports and disciplines of study continue to provide a well-rounded program for the youth of Hawkins County. Coach Casey Jones, Coach Matthew Davenport, and Coach Forrest Gladson will once again return to oversee the ProStrength Summer program, continuing their year-round dedication to our youth. Austin Albright and Chelsea Lane will work in advisory staff positions this summer as they complete their 2nd year of Medical School at ETSU and begin clinical rotations. Justin Morley has been a big part of getting this summer's program started and will be filling a fulltime position at Eastman in June.

The ProStrength Junior Staff program includes area High School students "in-training" for future Senior Staff positions. Returning Junior Staff members include Ali Thacker from Volunteer High School and Cherokee High School students Courtney Brooks, Kylie Russell, Ty Ryans, Tanner Trent, Cole Russell, Hunter Henegar, Peyton Brooks, and Tanner Blair. Dylan Lawson and Logan Lumpkins will be joining this summer's program as new Junior Staff members. Dylan helped Tanner Blair and Justin House run the after-school program this past year and Logan has distinguished himself as an outstanding participant within the program. Junior staff members complete didactic and practical training based on guidelines set by the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the American College of Sports Medicine. Additional staff member information and contact details can be found at www.prostrengthandspeed.com.

Students can still sign-up for this summer's 8-week Strength and Conditioning program from 8:00-5:00 Monday through Thursday at the new ProStrength facility. You can sign-up to receive weekly program updates and fitness news at www.prostrengthandspeed.com. The new ProStrength facility is located at 530 West Main St. in Rogersville and was made possible by Mr. Terry Whitson, owner of Rogersville Tobacco Exchange. The youth training facility offers 32,000 sqft of space for this Summer's program. The ProStrength Summer program is supported by more than 60 community businesses and supporters that have partnered to make this opportunity available to all Hawkins county youth. For more information contact a ProStrength staff member at (423) 327-5711 or (423) 921-6995.

ProStrength believes that every child deserves to be trained like an elite athlete. The 8-week strength and conditioning program will teach proper running and weightlifting technique. Students will train plyometrics, agility drills, and Olympic lifts just like a collegiate athlete using viper cords, power sleds, parachutes and kettle bells. This summer's program will include even more sport-specific drills, conditioning games and weekly challenges for students to enjoy. Staff members have worked hard through the month of May to prepare the new facility and complete training necessary to make this summer's youth program our most exciting program to date.

Training sessions are modified for each student's athletic ability and based on current recommendations of the National Strength and Conditioning Association, American College of Sports Medicine, and American Academy of Pediatrics. Our mission is to improve student health and athletic performance in areas of strength, speed, agility, and flexibility with emphasis on positive self-image, character, and dedication. ProStrength will provide an environment that fosters teamwork, discipline, respect, and hard work. Rural Health Services Consortium, Inc. continues their partnerships this summer with the University of Tennessee athletic program, East Tennessee State University Sports Performance Enhancement Center, James Madison University, and Vanderbilt University strength and conditioning staff to offer students in Hawkins County a unique and fun experience this summer.

All program schedules and announcements can be found at www.prostrengthandspeed.com . The ProStrength website features regular schedule updates, Athlete's of the Week and announcements about special events throughout the summer. This summer's website will also spotlight area businesses and supporters that continue to make the program such a success. Students can receive regular updates at twitter (http://twitter.com/prostrengthgym) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/prostrengthandspeed).

Rural Health Services Consortium, Inc. (Linda Buck, CEO) is a federally funded, nonprofit community health consortium with administrative offices based in Rogersville, TN. (4966 Hwy 11W). ProStrength & Speed is a community health initiative of Rural Health Services. The program is directly supervised by Dr. Chris Calendine, pediatrician at Hawkins Medical Center. Please contact Dr. Calendine if you have any further questions. Dr. Calendine can be reached at RHSC, Inc. Hawkins Clinic at (423) 272-5600 during office hours or at calendine (

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Females, Young Athletes Take Longer to Get Over Concussions

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Fewer Young Americans Smoking, Survey Finds

HealthDay – 45 mins ago THURSDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- Smoking rates among American teens and young adults fell between 2004 and 2010, but too many of them still light up, a new federal government report reveals.

The rate of current cigarette use among U.S. teens decreased from nearly 12 percent in 2004 to about 8 percent in 2010, and dropped from nearly 40 percent to about 34 percent among young adults, according to the analysis from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Survey on Drug Use and Health released Thursday.

The percentage of daily smokers among teens fell from just over 3 percent to under 2 percent, and decreased from about 20 percent to nearly 16 percent among young adults during the study period, the survey found.

Among young adults who were daily smokers, the percentage who smoked 26 or more cigarettes a day (about 1

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Employment Prospects Dim for Young Adults With Autism

HealthDay – 1 hr 38 mins ago MONDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- Young adults with an autism spectrum disorder are less likely to continue their education or get a job after high school when compared to young adults with other disabilities, new research indicates.

According to the study, only about 35 percent of young adults with autism attended college and only 55 percent had a job during the first six years after high school. Overall, they faced a greater than 50 percent chance of being unemployed or not attending college when compared to those with other disabilities, the researchers reported.

More than half of autistic young adults had no participation in either work or education during the two years after leaving high school, and even six years later more than one-third were without work or higher education, the study found.

"Many families with children with autism describe leaving high school as falling off a cliff because of the lack of services for adults with an autism spectrum disorder," said senior study author Paul Shattuck, an assistant professor of social work at Washington University in St. Louis. "So much of media attention focuses on children. It's important for people to realize autism does not disappear in adolescence. The majority of lifespan is spent in adulthood."

Part of the reason that young adults struggle after high school is that a core feature of the disorder is difficulty knowing how to interpret social interactions and handle a wide variety of social situations, something that is a necessity in many jobs, experts say.

But researchers also note that more educational and job-related support could help people with autism -- including the wave of children recently diagnosed -- who will be aging over the next decade as they find their place in society.

"We need to find ways to make room for adults with autism in our communities and help them get connected to opportunities that people with other forms of disabilities are participating in," Shattuck said.

The study is published online May 14 and in the June print issue of Pediatrics.

In it, researchers examined data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2, a nine-year study of adolescents who were enrolled in special education because of autism, learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities or speech and language impairments.

Compared with youth in the three other disability categories, autistic teens and young adults had significantly lower rates of employment and the highest overall rates of no participation in any work or education.

For example, only 55 percent of young adults with autism had paid employment, while 86 percent of those with a speech or language impairment, 94 percent of those with a learning disability and 69 percent of those with mental retardation did.

The education picture was a little brighter. About 35 percent of kids with autism attended a two- or four-year college; 51 percent of those with a speech or language delay did so, while 40 percent of those with a learning disability and 18 percent of those with mental retardation did.

For lower-income autistic teens and young adults, participation rates were even lower.

An estimated one in 88 U.S. children has an autism spectrum disorder, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 50,000 youths with autism will turn 18 this year in the United States.

Peter Bell, executive vice president of programs and services for Autism Speaks and the father of a young adult with autism, said the transition to adulthood can be particularly difficult for the families of children with autism. During childhood, most services are centered in the educational system and children are entitled to receive a public education. In many states, special needs teens can continue to get some services through the schools until around age 20 or 21.

After that, parents have to seek help from the social services system, which is more fragmented and difficult to navigate. And yet, he added, the report is not all bleak.

"I was pleasantly surprised that about 35 percent went on after leaving high school to attend some form of college," Bell said. "I was told 16 years ago when my son was diagnosed that there was very little chance he would ever go to college. So the fact that over one-third of the autism population goes on to some form of education after school should say to a lot of parents, 'You shouldn't automatically assume your child is not going to go to college'."

His own 19-year-old son isn't attending college, but he does work at several jobs in their town, where he is a well-known and accepted part of the community, Bell added.

More information

Autism Speaks has a toolkit to help teens with autism and their families make the transition out of high school.

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1 in 3 autistic young adults lack jobs, education

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Young cancer patients' 'Stronger' video a big hit

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