Lamm: Our boys are now at greater risk than girls

None of this is to say that men at the top levels of society don't still rule. "The myth of male power" co-exists with the fact that in many corporations, politics and in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math, barriers to females remain. We must constantly strive to break these barriers down as we strive to lift boys up. This is not an either/or dilemma.

Denver Post, November 7, 2014

Does enhanced HPV knowledge among teens and parents increase vaccination rates? Penn study says no

A new study from the University of Pennsylvania questions whether improving knowledge among parents and kids actually works to improve vaccination rates. Maybe it's doctors that need a bit more education and training. The study is reported in the journal Pediatrics. Behavior scientist Jessica Fishman studies why people make healthy choices. She says in public health the thinking goes like this: If people have the right information, they'll take the right steps.

"There's been a lot of emphasis on: 'If only they knew, if only they knew,'" Fishman said.  The researchers wondered: Does having better HPV information mean you're more likely to get the shots?

"It didn't really make a difference if you had the knowledge or not," Fishman said.

That finding is a break from what many people in public health have believed for years. Fishman says colleagues warned her: "Don't do the study. Don't waste your time."

"There's sometimes a surprising amount of politics in science, so there are people who have argued for a long time that knowledge must be the key," Fishman said.  "We find something that doesn't support that argument, and it can be troubling, or upsetting or surprising to people."

Newsworks, November 6, 2014

RELAX, parents. Here's a welcome break from the constant stream of media articles warning about sex dangers awaiting your innocent offspring: the talk of young girls captured by the raunch culture; boys turned by porn into marauding beasts who bully their girlfriends into unspeakable acts.

This week brings cheerful news. The sky is not falling in. It turns out most young people are not ripping off their clothes and leaping into bed at the earliest possible opportunity. In fact, most are behaving pretty cautiously when it comes to their sexual habits, as they have done for as long as such matters ha

Australian National Affairs, November 8, 2014

 The current quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine does not have a significant impact on the recurrence of genital warts in men exposed to HPV infection, according to research published in the November issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Enis Rauf Coskuner, MD, of the Acibadem University School of Medicine in Istanbul, and colleagues treated 171 men with genital warts between June 2009 and October 2013. Following the initial intervention, patients (mean age, 34 � 7.6 years) were randomly assigned to three doses of HPV vaccine (91 patients) or no vaccination (80 patients; control group).

The researchers found that, in univariate analysis, the only significant factor in the recurrence of genital warts was marital status; other factors, including age, smoking status, and vaccination status, were not significant. In multivariable analysis, the only significant factor associated with wart recurrence was marital status (hazard ratio, 2.0; P=0.002).

Empr.com, November 4, 2014

 Leaders in some of the nation's big-city school districts say they have new momentum-created by attention from President Barack Obama-to tackle one of the most vexing problems in urban schools: improving academic outcomes for African-American and Latino boys.

But despite the president's high-profile call for action to improve the lives of boys of color in his "My Brother's Keeper" initiative, doing so remains a monumental task for educators. There are no new federal funds to bring to bear, nor is there certainty that the current national focus on the well-being of minority boys will outlast the Obama administration.

Education Week, November 3, 2014

Koehler has penned the book, Love Your Nuts, to document his journey with cancer, and raise awareness among younger males.

If testicular cancer is detected early, the survival rate is 96%.

News24.com, November 3, 2014

Not so long ago, it was pure fantasy to imagine that someone with HIV could live to a ripe old age. But today that's exactly what researchers are beginning to suggest. At least one credible study makes the case that people with the virus can live as long - and in some cases longer - than their HIV negative counterparts.

The study took a look at nearly 23,000 people with HIV who were taking the medication, in the U.S. and Canada, spanning 2000 to 2007. It found that, among certain subgroups, estimated life span was equal or greater than the general population.

The devil is in the details, of course. The same social and economic barriers that affect most every other aspect of life also affects the longevity of people with HIV.

But we're taking this as a very, very good sign, so let's keep up the good work boys, and let's keep looking for ways we can get similar results for all poz folks rather than just the most fortunate among us.

Queerty.com, November 2, 2014

Why did he do it?

 That's what so many of us are asking after Jaylen Fryberg, a popular freshman, opened fire on classmates during lunch at Marysville-Pilchuck High School north of Seattle on Friday.

 The shootings left two girls dead and three other students injured, including two of Fryberg's cousins, one of whom remains in critical condition. Fryberg died after turning the gun on himself.

CNN, October 31, 2014

Vaccines Do Not Contribute to Multiple Sclerosis

Vaccines are not associated with multiple sclerosis (MS), suggests a study published in JAMA Neurology.   Researchers from Kaiser Permanente in California studied patients in order to determine if vaccines, such as hepatitis B (hepB) and human papillomavirus (HPV), increase the risk of MS or other central nervous system demyelinating syndromes (CNS ADS).

HPC Live, October 28, 2014

Young men visit their GP less than women, and when they do they are three-times less likely to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases
 

Many Australian men could be living with chlamydia, and not even know it. While the rate of chlamydia is significantly higher in women than men, a new study on sexual health suggests a large percentage of the male population could have the disease but remains undiagnosed. Chlamydia is mostly screened at general practices, but young men visit their GP less than women, and when they do they are three-times less likely to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases.

In a related study, the internet was found to be the first stop for sexual health information instead of a local doctor.The study suggested concerns about privacy and embarrassment were the main barriers preventing men from talking to their GP about sexual health.