COVID-19 Outbreak Among Adolescents at an Inpatient Behavioral Health Hospital.

PURPOSE: We report on a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak among adolescents at an inpatient behavioral health facility that was identified within 5 weeks of known viral transmission in the surrounding community. METHODS: Clinical records were reviewed for all inpatients aged <18 years with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 between March 23 and April 21, 2020. RESULTS: A total of 19 COVID-19-positive patients aged 11-17 years were identified. Patients most commonly presented with sore throat (37%) and nausea/vomiting (32%). Only 26% of patients presented with cough, shortness of breath, or fever. The most common medical comorbidity was asthma (32%), and the most common psychiatric comorbidity was posttraumatic stress disorder (63%). Infected patients were colocated and managed together on a separate COVID-19 unit to maintain a therapeutic group milieu. Mental health treatment was modified to limit staff exposure. Patients received daily medical assessment by an in-house pediatrician. One patient required intravenous fluids. No patients required transfer to a medical facility. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents in psychiatric inpatient settings may be especially vulnerable to COVID-19 infection. Close collaboration between medical and psychiatric care providers is needed to optimize care for this population and to address admission and disposition options for infected patients.

Computer self-administered screening for substance use in university student health centers.

Objective: To characterize the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, and drug use and the acceptability of screening in university health centers. Participants: Five hundred and two consecutively recruited students presenting for primary care visits in February and August, 2015, in two health centers. Methods: Participants completed anonymous substance use questionnaires in the waiting area, and had the option of sharing results with their medical provider. We examined screening rates, prevalence, and predictors of sharing results. Results: Past-year use was 31.5% for tobacco, 67.1% for alcohol (>4 drinks/day), 38.6% for illicit drugs, and 9.2% for prescription drugs (nonmedical use). A minority (43.8%) shared screening results. Sharing was lowest among those with moderate-high risk use of tobacco (OR =0.37, 95% CI 0.20-0.69), alcohol (OR =0.48, 95% CI 0.25-0.90), or illicit drugs (OR =0.38, 95% CI 0.20-0.73). Conclusions: Screening can be integrated into university health services, but students with active substance use may be uncomfortable discussing it with medical providers.

The mental health impact of 9/11 on inner-city high school students 20 miles north of Ground Zero.

PURPOSE: To determine the rate of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after 9/11 in a sample of New York City high school students and associations among personal exposure, loss of psychosocial resources, prior mental health treatment, and PTSD. METHODS: A total of 1214 students (grades 9 through 12) attending a large community high school in Bronx County, 20 miles north of "Ground Zero," completed a 45-item questionnaire during gym class on one day eight months after 9/11. Students were primarily Hispanic (62%) and African American (29%) and lived in the surrounding neighborhood. The questionnaire included the PCL-T, a 17-item PTSD checklist supplied by the Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The PCL-T was scored following the DSM-IV criteria for PTSD requiring endorsement of at least one repeating symptom, two hyperarousal symptoms, and three avoidance symptoms. Bivariate analysis comparing PTSD with personal exposure, loss of psychosocial resources, and mental health variables was done and multiple logistic regression was used to identify significant associations. RESULTS: There were 7.4 % of students with the PTSD symptom cluster. Bivariate analysis showed a trend for females to have higher rates of PTSD (males [6%] vs. females [9%], p = .06] with no overall ethnic differences. Five of the six personal exposure variables, and both of the loss of psychosocial resources and mental health variables were significantly associated with PTSD symptom cluster. Multiple logistic regression analysis found one personal exposure variable (having financial difficulties after 9/11, odds ratio [OR] = 5.27; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.9-9.7); both the loss of psychosocial resources variables (currently feeling less safe, OR = 3.58; 95% CI 1.9-6.8) and currently feeling less protected by the government, (OR = 4.04; 95% CI 2.1-7.7); and one mental health variable (use of psychotropic medication before 9/11, OR = 3.95; 95% CI 1.2-13.0) were significantly associated with PTSD symptom cluster. CONCLUSIONS: We found a rate of PTSD in Bronx students after 9/11 that was much higher than other large studies of PTSD in adolescents done before 9/11. Adolescents living in inner cities with high poverty and violence rates may be at high risk for PTSD after a terrorist attack. Students who still felt vulnerable and less safe eight months later and those with prior mental health treatment were four times more likely to have PTSD than those without such characteristics, highlighting the influence of personality and mental health on development of PTSD after a traumatic event.

Combined hormonal contraception.

This article discusses the different combined hormonal contraception methods. Combined methods, delivering both estrogen and a progestin simultaneously, are among the most effective, widely used hormonal contraceptive options. They also have the best noncontraceptive benefit profile for young women of all hormonal contraceptive options. Oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) are described as the standard combined hormonal method and are discussed in detail. Newer combined hormonal contraceptive delivery systems, the transdermal patch, vaginal ring, and injectable form, are compared with OCPs in terms of pharmacology, efficacy, and adverse events. Advantages and disadvantages of all methods are emphasized, with particular attention to adolescent development and acceptability.