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Alain Joffe

Publications and source records attributed to Alain Joffe.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Genitourinary issues in the male college student: a case-based approach.

Five percent of all ambulatory visits by men 18 years of age or older include genitourinary symptoms as a reason for the visit. In this article, using typical, unusual, or otherwise instructive cases, the authors review a select group of genitourinary issues in the college-age male. Warts (human papilloma virus), is the most common sexually transmitted infection, and it may mimic other disease. Testicular cancer is one of the most serious diseases to confront health care providers. Varicoceles are the most common scrotal mass. Urethritis is a common presentation of sexually transmitted infection in the young adult male. Acute prostatitis is an unusual condition in the young adult, but it is easily treatable. Sexual dysfunction causes great distress in the young adult, but a systematic approach usually leads to a treatable psychological or environmental cause. With understanding of these medical conditions, the practitioner should feel comfortable addressing the most challenging genitourinary health needs of this population.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed2004

Controversies in male adolescent health: varicocele, circumcision, and testicular self-examination.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The authors review three common clinical controversies encountered by primary care providers of adolescent males: management of varicoceles, the role of circumcision in the acquisition and transmission of sexually transmitted infections, and the value of teaching testicular self-examination. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent findings in adolescent varicoceles have advanced knowledge regarding the cause of varicoceles, the mechanism by which they may lead to infertility, new screening methods, and optimal surgical management. Accumulating evidence shows circumcision to be protective against acquisition and transmission of sexually transmitted infections, and preliminary work also indicates the potential for protection against the spread of AIDS in Africa. Testicular self-examination remains an unproven screening modality that is suboptimally performed by at-risk patients. SUMMARY: This review updates the provider on these topics and clarifies issues involved in these controversies

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Legalization of marijuana: potential impact on youth.

As experts in the health care of children and adolescents, pediatricians may be called on to advise legislators concerning the potential impact of changes in the legal status of marijuana on adolescents. Parents, too, may look to pediatricians for advice as they consider whether to support state-level initiatives that propose to legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes or to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana. This policy statement provides the position of the American Academy of Pediatrics on the issue of marijuana legalization, and the accompanying technical report (available online) reviews what is currently known about the relationship between adolescents' use of marijuana and its legal status to better understand how change might influence the degree of marijuana use by adolescents in the future.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Legalization of marijuana: potential impact on youth.

This technical report provides historical perspectives and comparisons of various approaches to the legal status of marijuana to aid in forming public policy. Information on the impact that decriminalization and legalization of marijuana could have on adolescents, in addition to concerns surrounding medicinal use of marijuana, are also addressed in this report. Recommendations are included in the accompanying policy statement.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in urban children.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in children with an unknown or negative human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status attending an urban hospital pediatric primary care clinic, and to identify HCV risk factors in their mothers. STUDY DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study of 1034 children tested for HCV antibodies (anti-HCV) after excluding children known to be HIV-positive. We assessed maternal HCV risk factors through structured interviews with a sample of mothers (n=573) and through review of available medical records (n=347) for a subsample of mother-child pairs. Means, proportions, and 95% confidence intervals were used to estimate the prevalence of anti-HCV and maternal risk factors. RESULTS: One child (0.1%; 95% CI, 0.002, 0.5) was anti-HCV positive. History of blood transfusion was reported by 7% of mothers and intravenous drug use (IVDU) by 1.8%. A subsample of mothers significantly underreported IVDU when compared with medical record review (1.5% vs 7.8%, P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that universal screening of children for HCV in high-risk urban communities is not warranted. However, self-report may not be reliable for identifying mothers with a history of IVDU, for whom HCV testing is recommended.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Physical activity attitudes of African American and white adolescent girls.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the attitudes of African American adolescent girls toward physical activity may help identify strategies to enable these adolescents to adopt a more physically active lifestyle that could track into adulthood. OBJECTIVE: To identify and compare attitudes of African American adolescent girls toward physical activity with the attitudes of white adolescent girls. METHODS: Six focus groups (N = 49) were conducted with 9th- through 12th-grade African American and white adolescent girls. Participants were recruited from community and medical settings in an urban city. Groups were audiotaped, coded, and analyzed for themes. RESULTS: African American participants were more accepting of their body image than were the white participants as individuals, as a community, and in the media. Themes common among African American and white participants included appearance and hygiene, value of physical activity, and issues of masculinity. Physically active adolescents reported on the significance of social support in motivating their physical activity participation. CONCLUSION: Future research on these attitudes could help inform the design of effective and culturally appropriate interventions to promote physical activity in African American and white adolescent girls.

Adolescent↗