Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:Youth carry a disproportionate burden of new HIV infections. With our study, we aimed to characterize HIV testing experiences among adolescents and young adults admitted to a children's hospital that is located in a high HIV-prevalent community and implemented routine HIV testing for all patients ≥13 years of age. METHODS:A total of 120 patients aged 13 to 24 years old who were admitted to our hospital and had a documented offer of routine HIV testing on admission were invited to complete a self-administered survey that asked about sex, race and/or ethnicity, HIV risk behaviors, and attitudes toward routine HIV testing in the hospital. Date of birth, admission diagnosis, and verification of HIV testing and results were collected by chart review. RESULTS:< .01) being more likely to accept testing. A total of 96% of participants agreed that the hospital is a good place to offer HIV testing. CONCLUSIONS:Our findings support offering routine HIV testing to youth admitted to children's hospital. Given the high incidence of new and undiagnosed HIV infections among youth, additional venues for HIV testing are essential.

STUDY OBJECTIVE/OBJECTIVE:The goal was to develop a multispecialty committee to address deficiencies in pediatric and adolescent gynecology (PAG) resident education through curricular development under the auspices of the North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, INTERVENTIONS, AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A multispecialty North American committee was organized to develop short as well as long curricula in PAG through a combination of conference calls and face-to-face meetings. Content was guided by objectives of national accrediting organizations. The curricula used print as well as interactive electronic resources. RESULTS:After publication of the short and long curricula, a dissemination strategy was developed to present the information at national meetings. A curricular study was performed after introduction of the curriculum to evaluate its efficacy. Long-term plans for further curricular components and expansion of educational tools are ongoing. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:We gathered a diverse multispecialty group of doctors to collaborate on a unified educational goal. This committee developed and disseminated resident PAG curricula using a variety of learning tools. This curricular development and implementation can occur with a minimal financial burden.

Clinical pathways for asthma management decrease hospital cost and length of stay; however little is known about the educational impact of pathways on residents. Pediatric residents at a children's hospital (N = 114) were invited to complete a 22-item computerized, anonymous survey 6 months before and 6 months after asthma pathway implementation. The survey assessed pathway use and residents (1) pathway knowledge, (2) attitudes and experiences with managing asthma, and (3) perceived educational benefits. Mean pathway knowledge score increased from the case before to the case after implementation [1.5 ± 1.0 versus 2.6 ± 1.3, p < 0.001], as did high preparedness to manage asthma [61% versus 91%, p < 0.001] and electronic order set use [28% versus 80%, p < 0.001]. The top three educational benefits of the pathway endorsed by residents were application of evidence-based medicine (57%), ability to assess exacerbations (52%), and skill at communicating respiratory status (47%). After implementation, residents' knowledge and preparedness to manage asthma improved as well as many endorsed educational benefits.

STUDY OBJECTIVE/OBJECTIVE:To determine the prevalence of reproductive coercion, a form of intimate partner violence (IPV) including contraceptive sabotage and pregnancy pressure, among urban high school-aged girls and to examine its associations with reproductive health risks. DESIGN AND SETTING/METHODS:A self-administered survey completed by high school-aged girls living in high-poverty neighborhoods while awaiting medical care in a pediatric emergency room, inpatient service, school-based, and hospital-based clinic. PARTICIPANTS/METHODS:One hundred forty-nine sexually active girls aged 14-17 years. INTERVENTIONS AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES/METHODS:To determine the prevalence of reproductive coercion and to examine associations with unprotected sex, sexually transmitted infections, physical IPV, and risk factors for abusive relationships. RESULTS:Twenty-nine of 149 (19%) of girls reported reproductive coercion, most frequently that a romantic or sexual partner had ever: "told them not to use any birth control" (n = 23; 79%); "took off a condom during sex so they would get pregnant" (n = 12; 43%); and "said he would leave them if they didn't get pregnant" (n = 6; 21%). Girls reporting reproductive coercion were nearly 3 times more likely than those not coerced to have had chlamydia (odds ratio [OR], 2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-7.19) and nearly 5 times more likely to report IPV (OR, 4.8; 95% CI, 2.0-11.8). In addition, girls reporting coercion were less likely to have high recognition of abusive behaviors (OR, 0.10; 95% CI, 0.01-0.8) and less likely to have high comfort communicating with their sexual partners (OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.1-0.7) than girls not reporting coercion. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Reproductive coercion is experienced by 1 in 5 high school-aged girls in a high-poverty community and is associated with chlamydia infection and IPV. Awareness of the high prevalence and health risks of coercion might allow for intervention.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether ovulatory dysfunction due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common underlying etiology of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) in adolescents who require hospitalization and to explore etiology, treatment, and complications of AUB with severe anemia in adolescents. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, INTERVENTIONS, AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We identified female patients aged 8-20 years admitted to a children's hospital for treatment of AUB from January 2000 to December 2014. Our hospital protocol advises hormonal testing for PCOS and other disorders before treatment for AUB. We reviewed medical records and recorded laboratory evaluations, treatments, and final underlying diagnoses as well as recurrences of AUB and readmissions in the subsequent year. RESULTS: Of the 125 subjects, the mean age was 16.5 +/- 2.9 years; mean hemoglobin level was 7.0 +/- 1.8 g/dL; 54% were overweight/obese; and 41% sexually active. PCOS accounted for 33% of admissions; hypothalamic pituitary ovarian axis immaturity 31%; endometritis 13%; bleeding disorders 10%. Girls with PCOS were more likely to be overweight/obese (74% vs 46%; P < .01) and girls with hypothalamic pituitary ovarian axis immaturity had lower hemoglobin levels (6.4 g/dL vs 7.4 g/dL; P < .05), than girls with all other etiologies of AUB. Treating physicians failed to diagnose endometritis as the etiology for AUB in 4 of 8 girls with positive tests for sexually transmitted infection and no other etiology. CONCLUSION: PCOS was the most common underlying etiology in adolescents hospitalized with AUB. Screening for hyperandrogenemia is important for early diagnosis of PCOS to allow ongoing management and prevention of comorbidities. Endometritis was frequently underestimated as an etiology for AUB.

STUDY OBJECTIVE/OBJECTIVE:To provide a detailed summary of fertility awareness counseling pearls for healthy teens and those with fertility-relevant comorbidities, and to assist providers in offering such counseling to adolescents and young adult women. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, INTERVENTIONS, AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Comprehensive literature review of English-language studies relating to fertility in pediatric and adolescent female patients (ages 13-21 years), and evidence-based dialogue guide. RESULTS:The literature indicates that although adolescents are interested in discussing sexuality and reproduction, this is commonly overlooked during the standard office medical visit. As a result, adolescents often turn to less reliable sources and hold a variety of reproductive misconceptions and a sense of lack of control over future fertility. We found no studies that examined the routine provision of fertility awareness counseling with healthy adolescents. There are a multitude of specific gynecologic and medical conditions that have ramifications for fertility. We detail these comprehensively, and provide a dialogue guide to assist with fertility awareness counseling for the female adolescent, containing specific information and indications for referral. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Providers caring for adolescent girls have the opportunity to enhance fertility awareness as part of a larger reproductive health conversation that adolescents desire, and from which they might benefit. Identifying potential future fertility issues, understanding age-related fertility decline, and aiding in health optimization before future conception might empower the adolescent to make informed reproductive decisions. We provide an algorithm to use with adolescents to discuss the "right time, right weight, right way" to pursue childbearing.

STUDY OBJECTIVE/OBJECTIVE:To determine if the North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology (NASPAG) Short Curriculum improves self-reported knowledge in pediatric and adolescent gynecology (PAG) among obstetrics and gynecology (Ob/Gyn) residents, at programs without PAG-trained faculty. DESIGN/METHODS:Prospective, cross-sectional exposure to the NASPAG short curriculum with a follow-up questionnaire. SETTING/METHODS:Ob/Gyn residency training programs without PAG faculty. PARTICIPANTS/METHODS:Ob/Gyn residents in training from February 2015 to June 2015. INTERVENTIONS/METHODS:Exposure to the NASPAG Short Curriculum. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES/METHODS:Improvement in self-perceived knowledge after completion of curriculum. RESULTS:Two hundred twenty-seven residents met inclusion criteria; 34 completed the study (15% response). Less than 50% of residents reported adequate knowledge in the areas of prepubertal vaginal bleeding, vulvovaginitis, precocious and delayed puberty, Home environment, Education and Employment, Eating, peer-related Activities, Drugs, Sexuality, Suicide/depression, Safety from injury and violence (HEEADSSS) interview, pelvic pain, and bleeding management in teens with developmental delay. After completion of the curriculum, self-reported knowledge improved in 8 of 10 learning objectives, with no significant improvement in bleeding disorders or Müllerian anomalies. There was no association between pretest knowledge and level of residency training, type of residency program, previous exposure to PAG lectures, and previous exposure to patients with PAG complaints. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Significant deficiencies exist regarding self-reported knowledge of core PAG topics among Ob/Gyn residents at programs without PAG-trained faculty. Use of the NASPAG Short Curriculum by residents without access to PAG-trained faculty resulted in improved self-reported knowledge in PAG.

OBJECTIVES:Protecting confidentiality for hospitalized adolescents can be challenging and may interfere with optimal adolescent-friendly care. The goal of this study was to explore physician trainees' experience with adolescent confidentiality at an academic children's hospital. METHODS:A total of 175 trainees were invited to complete an online survey about knowledge, attitudes, and experiences with confidential adolescent concerns in the inpatient setting. A total of 133 (76%) responded: 78% female; 65% pediatric or family medicine residents; and 35% medical students. RESULTS:In the past year, 56 (42%) of 133 trainees cared for a hospitalized adolescent whose confidentiality had been breached. Barriers to ensuring confidentiality included: patient/family not knowledgeable about minor consent law (50%); trainees not knowledgeable about minor consent law (47%); and hospital discharge summary requiring parental signature (47%). On patient- and family-centered rounds (PFCR), respondents reported that minor adolescents (aged <18 years) compared with young adults (aged ≥18 years) were more likely to have social history discussed away from the bedside (91% vs 84%; P < .001) and less likely to have confidential time with the medical team (28% vs 47%; P < .001). Barriers to participation in PFCR included the following: patient was sleeping (61%), patient declined to participate (51%), and confidentiality concerns (32%). CONCLUSIONS:Breaches in confidentiality for hospitalized adolescents are a common trainee experience. On PFCR, adolescents are less likely to have confidential time with the medical team than young adults. In trainees' experience, hospital systems such as PFCR and discharge procedures pose inherent challenges to confidentiality for minor adolescent patients, as do lack of knowledge of minor consent laws by both clinicians and families.