Obesity and disability - children and young people

This paper examines the evidence linking obesity and disability in children and young people. It looks at a range of impairments or health conditions associated with disability and explores the main obesity-related chronic health conditions that can develop during childhood and adolescence. It also highlights: inequalities experienced by children and young people in relation to obesity and disability implications for policy, practice and research survey data on obesity and limiting long-term illness or disability

A Study on Health Behaviours and Young People

Numerous reports have documented the health status of young people, concluding that the main threats to their health are predominantly the health risk behaviours and choices they make. Focussing on four of these, alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking, illicit drug use and sexual activity, this study seeks to assess their levels among a group of young people in Galway City with the aim of helping with the development of Health Education in these areas. In order to develop appropriate interventions, it is first of all necessary that accurate information on the extent of the problem, if any, be available. In 1989, studies on risk taking were carried out in the Muirhouse and Easterhouse areas of Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland. These areas were seen as underprivileged and had high and low rates of HIV infection respectively. In 1993, a similar study was carried out in the Westside area of Galway, an area which is also seen as under-privileged with high rates of unemployment. In 1996, a follow-up to the 1993 survey was carried out. This study also attempted to determine if there was a relationship between the behaviours reported and socio-economic class. This study is a follow-up to the previous two, with the addition that it attempts to investigate whether any relationship exists between the provision of health education in schools and subsequent health behaviour patternsThis resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

Vulnerable young people and drugs: opportunities to tackle inequalities.

This document presents executive summaries of pieces of research carried out under the auspices of a Department of Health funded research programme. The aim of the programme was to provide research based evidence that would underpin the development of high quality and effective interventions with groups of young people thought to be vulnerable to developing drug misuse problems. The focus of the initiative was to inform primary and secondary drug prevention strategies and other opportunities to intervene. The background to each project, methodology used and findings are presented.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

Mental health and growing up factsheet. Cannabis and mental health: information for young people.

About this leaflet This is one in a series of leaflets for parents, teachers and young people entitled Mental Health and Growing Up. These leaflets aim to provide practical, up-to-date information about mental health problems (emotional, behavioural and psychiatric disorders) that can affect children and young people. This leaflet gives you some basic facts about cannabis and also how it might affect your mental health. Introduction Lots of young people want to know about drugs. Often, people around you are taking them, and you may wonder how it will make you feel. You may even feel under pressure to use drugs in order to fit in, or be â?~coolâ?T. You may have heard that cannabis is no worse than cigarettes, or that it is harmless. What is cannabis? The cannabis plant is a member of the nettle family that has grown wild throughout the world for centuries. People have used it for lots of reasons, other than the popular relaxing effect. It comes in two main forms: ï,§ resin, which is a brown black lump also known as bhang, ganja or hashish ï,§ herbal cannabis, which is made up of the dried leaves and flowering tops, and is known as grass, marijuana, spliff, weed, etc. Skunk cannabis is made from a cannabis plant that has more active chemicals in it (THC), and the effect on your brain is stronger. Because â?~streetâ?T cannabis varies so much in strength, you will not be able to tell exactly how it will make you feel at any particular time. What does it do to you? When you smoke cannabis, the active compounds reach your brain quickly through your bloodstream. It then binds/sticks to a special receptor in your brain. This causes your nerve cells to release different chemicals, and causes the effects that you feel. These effects can be enjoyable or unpleasant. Often the bad effects take longer to appear than the pleasant ones. ï,§ Good/pleasant effects: You may feel relaxed and talkative, and colours or music may seem more intense. ï,§ Unpleasant effects: Feeling sick/panicky, feeling paranoid or hearing voices, feeling depressed and unmotivated. Unfortunately, some people can find cannabis addictive and so have trouble stopping use even when they are not enjoying it. The effects on your mental health Using cannabis triggers mental health problems in people who seemed to be well before, or it can worsen any mental health problems you already have. Research has shown that people who are already at risk of developing mental health problems are more likely to start showing symptoms of mental illness if they use cannabis regularly. For example if someone in your family has depression or schizophrenia, you are at higher risk of getting these illness when you use cannabis. The younger you are when you start using it, the more you may be at risk. This is because your brain is still developing and can be more easily damaged by the active chemicals in cannabis. If you stop using cannabis once you have started to show symptoms of mental illness, such as depression, paranoia or hearing voices, these symptoms may go away. However, not everyone will get better just by stopping smoking. If you go on using cannabis, the symptoms can get worse. It can also make any treatment that your doctor might prescribe for you, work less well. Your illness may come back more quickly, and more often if you continue to use cannabis once you get well again. Some people with mental health problems find that using cannabis makes them feel a bit better for a while. Unfortunately this does not last, and it does nothing to treat the illness. In fact, it may delay you from getting help you need and the illness may get worse in the longer term. [For the full factsheet, click on the link above]This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 Report on the Consultation with Young People

The Department of Education and Skills is developing a new Digital Strategy for Schools to be completed during 2015. The Digital Strategy for Schools will set out how Department of Education and Skills’ priorities can be delivered and facilitated by the use of technology in education. The development of the Strategy is of critical importance to Ireland if it is to realise the potential of ICT in schools and prepare our young people to live, learn and work in the 21st century. The Department of Education and Skills has partnered with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) to seek the views of young people through a structured consultation process informed by DCYA expertise in consulting with young people.

Analysis of need in relation to 'one stop shop' services for young people in Northern Ireland

An analysis of need for 'one stop shop' drop-in support services in relation to alcohol and drug misuse, undertaken by the PHA for the Health Development Policy Branch of the DHSSPS Additional information:

Randomized controlled trial of interventions for young people at ultra-high risk of psychosis: study design and baseline characteristics.

OBJECTIVE: Intervention during the pre-psychotic period of illness holds the potential of delaying or even preventing the onset of a full-threshold disorder, or at least of reducing the impact of such a disorder if it does develop. The first step in realizing this aim was achieved more than 10 years ago with the development and validation of criteria for the identification of young people at ultra-high risk (UHR) of psychosis. Results of three clinical trials have been published that provide mixed support for the effectiveness of psychological and pharmacological interventions in preventing the onset of psychotic disorder. METHOD: The present paper describes a fourth study that has now been undertaken in which young people who met UHR criteria were randomized to one of three treatment groups: cognitive therapy plus risperidone (CogTher + Risp: n = 43); cognitive therapy plus placebo (CogTher + Placebo: n = 44); and supportive counselling + placebo (Supp + Placebo; n = 28). A fourth group of young people who did not agree to randomization were also followed up (monitoring: n = 78). Baseline characteristics of participants are provided. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The present study improves on the previous studies because treatment was provided for 12 months and the independent contributions of psychological and pharmacological treatments in preventing transition to psychosis in the UHR cohort and on levels of psychopathology and functioning can be directly compared. Issues associated with recruitment and randomization are discussed.

Motivational intervention to reduce cannabis use in young people with psychosis: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Cannabis use has a negative impact on psychosis. Studies are needed to explore the efficacy of psychological interventions to reduce cannabis use in psychosis. Our aim is to study the efficacy of a specific motivational intervention on young cannabis users suffering from psychosis. Methods: Participants (aged less than 35 years) were randomly assigned to treatment as usual (TAU) alone, or treatment as usual plus motivational intervention (MI + TAU). TAU was comprehensive and included case management, early intervention and mobile team when needed. Assessments were completed at baseline and at 3, 6 and12 months follow-up. Results: Sixty-two participants (32 TAU and 30 MI + TAU) were included in the study. Cannabis use decreased in both groups at follow-up. Participants who received MI in addition to TAU displayed both a greater reduction in number of joints smoked per week and greater confidence to change cannabis use at 3 and 6 months follow-up, but differences between groups were nonsignificant at 12 months. Conclusions: MI is well accepted by patients suffering from psychosis and has a short-term impact on cannabis use when added to standard care. However, the differential effect was not maintained at 1-year follow-up. MI appears to be a useful active component to reduce cannabis use which should be integrated in routine clinical practice.

Responding to Young People's Health Risks in Primary Care: A Cluster Randomised Trial of Training Clinicians in Screening and Motivational Interviewing.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a complex intervention implementing best practice guidelines recommending clinicians screen and counsel young people across multiple psychosocial risk factors, on clinicians' detection of health risks and patients' risk taking behaviour, compared to a didactic seminar on young people's health. DESIGN: Pragmatic cluster randomised trial where volunteer general practices were stratified by postcode advantage or disadvantage score and billing type (private, free national health, community health centre), then randomised into either intervention or comparison arms using a computer generated random sequence. Three months post-intervention, patients were recruited from all practices post-consultation for a Computer Assisted Telephone Interview and followed up three and 12 months later. Researchers recruiting, consenting and interviewing patients and patients themselves were masked to allocation status; clinicians were not. SETTING: General practices in metropolitan and rural Victoria, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: General practices with at least one interested clinician (general practitioner or nurse) and their 14-24 year old patients. INTERVENTION: This complex intervention was designed using evidence based practice in learning and change in clinician behaviour and general practice systems, and included best practice approaches to motivating change in adolescent risk taking behaviours. The intervention involved training clinicians (nine hours) in health risk screening, use of a screening tool and motivational interviewing; training all practice staff (receptionists and clinicians) in engaging youth; provision of feedback to clinicians of patients' risk data; and two practice visits to support new screening and referral resources. Comparison clinicians received one didactic educational seminar (three hours) on engaging youth and health risk screening. OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcomes were patient report of (1) clinician detection of at least one of six health risk behaviours (tobacco, alcohol and illicit drug use, risks for sexually transmitted infection, STI, unplanned pregnancy, and road risks); and (2) change in one or more of the six health risk behaviours, at three months or at 12 months. Secondary outcomes were likelihood of future visits, trust in the clinician after exit interview, clinician detection of emotional distress and fear and abuse in relationships, and emotional distress at three and 12 months. Patient acceptability of the screening tool was also described for the intervention arm. Analyses were adjusted for practice location and billing type, patients' sex, age, and recruitment method, and past health risks, where appropriate. An intention to treat analysis approach was used, which included multilevel multiple imputation for missing outcome data. RESULTS: 42 practices were randomly allocated to intervention or comparison arms. Two intervention practices withdrew post allocation, prior to training, leaving 19 intervention (53 clinicians, 377 patients) and 21 comparison (79 clinicians, 524 patients) practices. 69% of patients in both intervention (260) and comparison (360) arms completed the 12 month follow-up. Intervention clinicians discussed more health risks per patient (59.7%) than comparison clinicians (52.7%) and thus were more likely to detect a higher proportion of young people with at least one of the six health risk behaviours (38.4% vs 26.7%, risk difference [RD] 11.6%, Confidence Interval [CI] 2.93% to 20.3%; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.7, CI 1.1 to 2.5). Patients reported less illicit drug use (RD -6.0, CI -11 to -1.2; OR 0·52, CI 0·28 to 0·96), and less risk for STI (RD -5.4, CI -11 to 0.2; OR 0·66, CI 0·46 to 0·96) at three months in the intervention relative to the comparison arm, and for unplanned pregnancy at 12 months (RD -4.4; CI -8.7 to -0.1; OR 0·40, CI 0·20 to 0·80). No differences were detected between arms on other health risks. There were no differences on secondary outcomes, apart from a greater detection of abuse (OR 13.8, CI 1.71 to 111). There were no reports of harmful events and intervention arm youth had high acceptance of the screening tool. CONCLUSIONS: A complex intervention, compared to a simple educational seminar for practices, improved detection of health risk behaviours in young people. Impact on health outcomes was inconclusive. Technology enabling more efficient, systematic health-risk screening may allow providers to target counselling toward higher risk individuals. Further trials require more power to confirm health benefits. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN.com ISRCTN16059206.

Transition of young people with chronic conditions: a cross-sectional study of patient perceptions before and after transfer from pediatric to adult health care.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to compare perceived barriers to and the most preferred age for successful transition to adult health care between young people with chronic disorders who had not yet transferred from pediatric to adult health care (pre-transfer) and those who had already transferred (post-transfer). In a cross-sectional study, we compared 283 pre-transfer with 89 post-transfer young people, using a 28-item questionnaire that focused on perceived barriers to transition and beliefs about the most preferred age to transfer. Feeling at ease with the pediatrician was the most important barrier to successful transition in both groups, but was rated significantly higher in the pre-transfer compared to the post-transfer group (OR = 2.03, 95 %CI 1.12-3.71). Anxiety and lack of information were the next most important barriers, rated equally highly by the two groups (OR = 0.67, 95 %CI 0.35-1.28 and OR = 0.71, 95 %CI 0.36-1.38, respectively). More than 80 % of the respondents in both groups reported that 16-19 years was the most preferred age to transfer; more than half of all the respondents reported 18-19 years and older as the most preferred age. CONCLUSION: Better transition planning through the provision of regular and more detailed information about adult health-care providers and the transition process could reduce anxiety and contribute to a more positive attitude to overcome perceived barriers to transition from young people's perspective. Young people's preferences about transferring to adult health care provide a challenge to those children's hospitals that transfer to adult health care at a younger age.

What young people with spina bifida want to know about sex and are not being told.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper was to examine sexual knowledge, concerns and needs of youth with spina bifida (SB) to inform the medical community on ways to better support their sexual health. METHODS: As part of the Video Intervention/Prevention Assessment (VIA) - transitions, a prospective cohort study, 309 h of video data were collected from 14 participants (13-28 years old) with SB. Participants were loaned a video camcorder for 8-12 weeks to shoot visual narratives about any aspects of their lives. V/A visual narratives were analysed with grounded theory using NVivo. RESULTS: Out of 14 participants, 11 (six women) addressed issues surrounding romantic relationships and sexuality in their video clips. Analysis revealed shared concerns, questions and challenges regarding sexuality gathered under four main themes: romantic relationships, sexuality, fertility and parenthood, and need for more talk on sexuality. CONCLUSIONS: Youth with SB reported difficulties in finding answers to questions regarding their sexuality, romantic relationships and fertility. This study revealed a need for help from the medical community to inform and empower youth with SB in the area of sexual health. Through sexual and reproductive health education with patients and parents starting at an early age, medical providers can further encourage healthy emotional and physical development in adolescents transitioning into adulthood.

La inclusión laboral y social de los jóvenes con discapacidad intelectual : el papel de la escuela = Work and social inclusion of young people with intellectual disabilities : the role of the school

The transition to adult life from the standpoint of inclusion is a complex process, especially for young people with intellectual disabilities. This article analyzes the context of transition processes showing the main relationships and differences of the different scenarios where young people with disabilities develop personal pathways that lead to adulthood. Among these scenarios, the school -the period of compulsory secondary education- plays a key role. Therefore, a specific section is devoted to developing an approach to the role of the school in the construction of bridges that facilitate social and work inclusion. Finally, it presents some major challenges that need to be faced to improve the processes of transition from an inclusive perspective

Análisis de los apoyos que reciben los jóvenes con discapacidad intelectual en su transición a la vida adulta en España: una investigación a partir de experiencias de profesionales y personas con discapacidad = Analysis of support received by young people with intellectual disabilities in their transition to adulthood in Spain: an investigation based on the experiences of professionals and people with disabilities

The objective of this study is to gather information regarding the adaptation of the range of socio educational projects and services aimed at the transition to an adult life of young persons with intellectual disabilities in Spain. The research of the study has been done in three stages. During each stage, a specific tool has been used. One to one in-depth interviews have been undertaken with 45 professionals and 20 individuals with intellectual disabilities. The Delphi method has been applied to two panels consisting of 20 experts each. Firstly, results focus on the approach to different issues related to the devices. Secondly, the training opportunities that these individuals receive to ease the transition period is addressed. And finally, the study refers to the participation of the individuals themselves and their families in the process. The developed analysis allows us to propose strategies to improve the transition to adult life

The young person's guide to the Internet : the essential website reference book for young people, parents and teachers.

Esta guía práctica ayuda a los jóvenes, estudiantes, padres, profesores y escuelas a descubrir el enorme potencial de Internet y a mostrar cómo se puede utilizar de forma segura y eficaz, tanto para la educación, el estudio, la investigación cómo el entretenimiento. Contiene las direcciones de más de mil seiscientos sitios web, ordenadas en treinta categorías, que cubren todas las materias del curriculo nacional inglés, además, de las de de medios de comunicación, arte y música, juegos en línea, teatro, lugares de interés, deportes y viajes. Este recurso se completa con secciones especiales para padres y tutores y un resumen de cada una de estas páginas web.