Thanksgiving Appetizers: Sizzling topics in Public Health

There is never a shortage of short snappers to be gobbled up around Thanksgiving time.   Here’s a set of appetizers themed just on sexual and reproductive health issues.

A small study that confirmed something that has been stated in the past, HPV is not limited to girls who have engaged in intercourse, hence the provision of HPV vaccine to sexually naive girls prior to first intercourse is further justified.  NBC report on HPV risk.

A  synthesis of interventions to reduced the behavioural outcomes of sexually transmitted illnesses amongst activities that showed strong evidence for improving knowledge and self-efficacy.  The critical link of then tying this to changes in behaviour such as condom use demonstrated some benefit and concluded the further research is required to identify what is most effective and how to further improve outcomes. behavioural interventions for preventing STIs.  The good news is that the programs did not negatively impact measures like earlier sexual initiation which advocates opposing sexual health programming frequently vocalize as a concern.

A review looked at different strategies for cervical cancer screening and actually recommended that for resource constrained areas a different strategy than for resource rich areas. cervical Ca screening    A DrPHealth plea that a new criteria for screening programming is that they not exacerbate inequities. 

For those engaging in higher risk sexual activities, the question on pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention received a review concluding that there is a benefit HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis.  Now if only we can expand cheaper HIV treatment programming in developing countries. 

This week is International breastfeeding weeks and a review article demonstrates the definite value of exclusivity to 6 months and lesser but useful benefit of partial breastfeeding during the first four months Breastfeeding duration .   Canada continues to improve on breastfeeding measures with increased initiation and duration and well worth celebrating each year  Breastfeeding review 2011.

May the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend be filled with family, friends and happiness. Thanks to the loyal readers, and to the new readers who have picked up traffic on this site in the last few weeks.  Your support and promotion of the site is integral to its success and continuation.