Oral sex dramatically increases the risk of head and neck cancers, a new study has claimed. The disease has traditionally been considered to be one that affects smokers and heavy drinkers in later life. But over recent years, as cases have been rising, it has been linked with the common human papillomavirus (HPV).  It is believed oral sex may be the main way HPV - more usually associated with cervical cancer - ends up in the mouth.

Parents were warned there is a global shortage of the vaccine against meningitis B. The NHS programme to vaccinate babies and children against the deadly bug is unaffected by the global shortage of Bexsero. But private clinics in the UK have been advising parents they cannot start any new courses of the vaccine. Any child who has had one dose already should be able to receive follow up doses to finish the course. Manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) said: "Due to unexpected global demand for Bexsero during 2015, we are experiencing supply constraints during the first half of this year.

Mirror, January 22, 2016

NEW ZEALAND: Genital wart cases drop with introduction of free vaccine

 

A healthcare worker has called for the universal introduction of the HPV vaccine, saying the present regime is "discriminating against boys". The comments follow a report from the Institute of Environmental Science and Research that illustrates the effectiveness of the vaccine in reducing numbers of a sexually transmitted infection linked to the virus. Figures from the institute show genital wart cases dropped nationally from 3257 to 2003 between 2010 and 2014. A HPV vaccine was first offered to young women between the ages of 12 and 20 in late 2008. It offered them protection from contracting HPV, a virus that can result in the development of genital warts and, in rare cases, cervical cancer.

Stuff NZ, January 21, 2016

Low-income minority teens more likely to get HPV vaccination

A new study sheds light on a counter-intuitive phenomenon: White, well-to-do teens are less likely to get an  HPV vaccination   than girls in low-income, predominantly minority communities. The research, published last week in the medical journal, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, found that 53 percent of teenage girls received a dose of the  HPV vaccine   in 2011 and 2012. The rate was highest among girls in predominantly Latino communities, 69 percent of whom received a dose of the vaccine, which is credited with reducing the risk of cervical cancer caused by HPV.

Benefits Pro, January 19, 2016

Only one in five sexually active high school students has been tested for HIV, and young adults aren't doing much better at finding out their status, U.S. health officials report. As a result, an estimated 50 percent of young Americans infected with the virus that causes AIDS don't know they have it, the researchers found.

Healthfinder, January 19, 2016

"This is not about educating just parents, but also the medical community," said Maggie Hall, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County. "We need nurses, doctors, patient-care technicians, and people in schools to remind people to get this vaccine."

Tampa Bay Times, January 15, 2016

Indeed.  Studies  have shown that youths in father-absent households have the highest odds of being incarcerated and higher levels of behavioral problems in schools and are more likely to be suspended from school.  Research  by Princeton University sociology professor Sara McLanahan notes that a father's absence increases anti-social behavior such as drug use and reduces a child's chances of employment. And in his report " Growing Up Without Father: The Effects on African American Boys ", Cory Ellis found that father-absence was the strongest indicator of delinquency, even more so than low socioeconomic status or peer pressure. There is also evidence that fatherless children have lower self-esteem, a greater risk for mental illness and suicide, and increased risk of depression.

The Root, January 15, 2016

The likelihood of an American teen using or carrying weapons varies according to race and gender, new research contends. Using data from a national survey conducted during the mid-1990s, when violent crime rates were falling in the United States, researchers found that 13 percent of black students, 10 percent of Hispanic students and 7 percent of white students had been involved with weapons.

Healthfinder.gov, January 15, 2016

Teen girls in poor or predominately Hispanic communities are more likely to receive at least one dose of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine than those in other communities, a new study finds.

Healthfinder.gov, January 14, 2016

Increased clinician education and the development of evidence-based tools are needed to improve quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV4) implementation rates in a primary care setting, according to a survey conducted by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

Clinical Advisor, January 14, 2016

There's no proof that over-the-counter sexual enhancement supplements for men work, and some are potentially dangerous, a new study reports. Many men seeking medical help for sexual health issues report using dietary supplements. But with little regulation of dosage or ingredients, the health effects of these products are unknown, the researchers said in background notes.

Healthfinder.gov, January 13, 2016

According to a report prepared by adolescent friendly health centres (AFHCs) set up by the Uttar Pradesh government in most districts, all is not well with the sexual health of adolescent boys in the Rohilkhand region. In shocking details that have come to light, 22% of them are on the verge of becoming impotent, while another 19% do not nurse any sexual desire. According to experts, hormonal imbalance, adulterated food, depression and watching too much porn in formative years are said to be the reasons behind this.

The Times of India, January 11, 2016

The Weekly News Roundup is produced by The Partnership for Male Youth and is released every Monday. 

For more information contact Dennis J. Barbour, JD. News Roundup editor and President/CEO of the Partnership, at [email protected].

The  Partnership for Male Youth is a collaboration among 23 national organizations and representation from six federal agencies. It is led by a multidisciplinary and multispecialty steering committee and advisory council. The Partnerships's flagship effort, released in January 2014, is  The Health Provider Toolkit for Adolescent and Young Adult Males.