Researchers at Children's Hospital Los Angeles recently tested a mental health screening tool for adolescents coming to the emergency room for medical complaints who might also be at risk for mental health problems.

According to researchers, of the 992 patients studied, nearly half - 47.5 percent - responded yes to questions about substance abuse, traumatic exposure or behavioral symptoms such as depression and anxiety.

Psych Central, October 2, 2015

The results of this study suggest that HPV vaccination is not associated with an increase in sexually transmitted infections. Although adolescents receiving the HPV vaccine had a higher rate of sexually transmitted infections, this difference was established before vaccination occurred and was not the result of HPV vaccination. In contrast, this result suggests that adolescents at an increased risk for sexually transmitted infection may be receiving the HPV vaccine at a higher rate, possibly due to a sexually transmitted infection diagnosis. The increased incidence of sexually transmitted infections observed in both groups of adolescents over time highlights the importance of early HPV vaccination before potential HPV exposure.

Clinical Advisor, October 2, 2015

A discovery in mice could pave the way to a reversible, non-hormonal form of birth control for men, researchers report.  The findings, published online Oct. 1 in the journal  Science , add to efforts to develop the elusive "male pill" -- that is, a contraceptive.  Right now, the only methods of birth control for men are surgical vasectomy -- which is very effective, but usually permanent -- and condoms, which can be unreliable. 

Dr. Abraham Morgentaler, a member of the board of directors for the American Sexual Health Association, said, "There is a great need for a male contraceptive that does not involve minor surgical procedures or condoms."

That need may be even greater in certain countries outside the United States, where overpopulation is a serious problem, Morgentaler said.

Another expert agreed. "Existing male contraceptives don't come close to filling the need," said Aaron Hamlin, executive director of the Male Contraception Initiative, in Washington, D.C.  "Condoms have a real-world annual pregnancy rate of 18 percent -- about a dice roll for the average person," Hamlin said.

Health Day, October 1, 2015

As a psychotherapist, my two specialties are anxiety and relationships. What stands out to me when counseling men is that much of their struggle with anxiety, depression and relational trouble has a connection to the inability to understand and process their feelings. This is largely to do with the messages that start in childhood, not only from the family but often from peers and the community. Issues of rage, anxiety, depression and unhealthy coping mechanisms like heavy drinking often manifest when men don't understand their feelings or don't give themselves permission to have them.  

Washington Post, October 1, 2015

Academic centers across the country will recruit more than 10,000 students ages 9 and 10 for a study that could last a decade, and which will involve DNA testing and high-resolution brain scans.

The study was commissioned by the National Institutes of Health, which may end up spending as much as $300 million to enable scientists to examine one of the least understood segments of the population.

San Diego Union-Tribune, September 30, 2015

Mental Health Screenings of Teens by PCPs Can Prevent Suicides

A new paper finds that psychosocial assessment and mental health screening of teens during routine health care visits can literally be a life-saver.

Nursing researchers with the University of Texas at Arlington and Texas Woman's University contend that depression and  suicide   risk screening can assist health care providers in preventing suicides in teens.

Psychiatry Advisor, September 30, 2015

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.