Elizabeth R. McAnarney

Protecting Children from Secondhand Smoke

Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is associated with many adverse prenatal and postnatal conditions during childhood. These researchers evaluated whether pediatricians and family practitioners are screening for parental smoking and counseling parents about the dangers of ETS to their children. Assuming that parents take children for healthcare …

Decreasing Age at Menarche: Is the End in Sight?

During the past century, the average age at menarche among U.S. girls has decreased. The decline has been attributed to improvements in the nutritional

Starvation During Puberty: Long-Term Consequences

World events sometimes provide information about the health consequences of adverse conditions. During the siege of Leningrad (September 1941-January 1944), German troops prevented supplies from reaching the city, causing severe food shortages and starvation. These authors analyzed cardiovascular risk factors and mortality in a population of randomly selected men born between 1916 and 1935 who were living in …

Whither Goest Thou? Diabetes and Mortality

Type 1 diabetes increases the risk for mortality at a young age. Drawing on a database that included information on 0.9 million people in 1968, 1.9 million in 1974, and 2.5 million in 1987, British investigators quantified the risk for …

Cleft Lip and Palate: Increased Mortality over Time

The short-term morbidity associated with cleft lip and palate has been well described, but little is known about the long-term health and survival of individuals with these congenital malformations. Using a Danish registry, these researchers assessed overall mortality and causes of specific mortality in 5531 people who were born …

The Family That Eats Together . . . Builds a Strong Teen

The pressures of modern life often prevent families from having meals together. In this study, the authors investigated the association between the

Shedding More Light on Adolescent Tanning

The incidence of skin cancer has increased over the past five decades. Indoor tanning using artificial sources of ultraviolet (UV) radiation is popular among teenagers and increases cancer risk. Researchers conducted telephone interviews with 1273 teens (age …

Fostering Positive Adolescent Development When a Parent Has HIV

The effects on children and adolescents of the HIV/AIDS epidemic can be direct or indirect. The severe illness and death of a parent has a lifelong impact, and the effects can be seen in adolescent development. The authors of this remarkable study examined …

More on Adolescent Pregnancy and Its Consequences

The association between adolescent pregnancy and adverse outcomes for both mother and child is well known; the mothers age at conception and delivery has long been considered the cause of these consequences. In this retrospective cohort study, researchers questioned that assumption, asking whether a stressful childhood environment is the main source of risk for long-term adverse outcomes. Among …

Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Programs -- What Do We Know?

Substance abuse can compromise a young persons adult potential. Nevertheless, drug treatment programs for adolescents are not widely available, and