Adolescent and Young Adult Male Education Modules
Foreword from Paritosh Kaul, MD
The adolescent and young adult (AYA) male continues to be underserved and neglected. The Journal of Adolescent Health Supplement in March 2018 was published to increase the attention to this population and a call for action in areas of health care delivery, public health and policy and research1. The past four years have little if any improvement for this group. In addition, the pandemic has increased the pressures on AYA and those who are involved in their care.
As Jeffries et al state2, the COVID-19 pandemic caused radical shifts in the ways that both health care and health professions education are delivered. The need for physical distance resulted in an exponential increase in online health professions education. Prior to the pandemic, online education was recognized. During the pandemic online learning became essential for education and clinical training.
To assist the AYA clinicians and educators we created online modules to reinforce their knowledge and as a teaching modality for their learners. To that end, we designed this in mind to reach all clinicians worldwide through multiple technological platforms — the computer, tablet and the smart phone. With a value of health equity for all, we have developed these modules not in competition or to supplant the much-needed focus of teen and young adult female health, but in the hopes of creating a world in which there is equitable focus on the mental and physical health, including sexual and reproductive health, of all. Each module is a stand-alone module which can be viewed on all modalities, from the laptop to the mobile phone. We hope to keep our young men engaged in health care so that we can play a larger role in decreasing health disparities among AYA males, as well as those who are in individual relationships with them, but also at community, and societal levels.
The modules begin with the adolescent interview by Batt et al which reviews the HEADS framework. AYA providers cite lack of training and knowledge of the male genitourinary examination which Woods addresses in her module. Bell examines the issue of health care maintenance with a specific focus on the AYA male. The issue of substance abuse in the ambulatory setting is tackled by Grubb with some suggestions for language and screening tools. The issue of contraception among AYA males (beyond condom use) is addressed by Rosenthal and Alderman. Eating disorders among AYA males is on the increase and this subject is Nagata and Buckelew. Sexually transmitted infections is then reviewed by Fields while Seigel discusses the issue of the gay AYA. The issue of gun violence that is an issue is the addressed by Sigel. We end all the modules in discussion the framework on positive youth development by Chung and Ginsberg.
As with all projects this project would not be possible without the foresight of Michael Resnick. He believed in the concept need and delivery of this project. I am grateful to the authors for their generosity in sharing share their expertise and passion as we advocate for the AYA male. I would like to acknowledge Joe and Andrew for their voice and Shelley for keeping this project moving. Becky Armstrong, the instructional designer, you allowed to translate the vision of all authors into reality and we all at SAHM are grateful for you. Ryan Norton, the previous executive director of SAHM, your support means more than words can capture. To my mentors and my family, you have be my source of inspiration.
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Paritosh Kaul, Charles E. Irwin, Serving the Underserved: The Health and Well-Being of Adolescent and Young Adult Males, Journal of Adolescent Health, Volume 62, Issue 3, Supplement, 2018, Pages S1-S2,
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Jeffries, Pamela R. et al. The Role of Technology in Health Professions Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Academic Medicine: November 16, 2021 – Volume – Issue -doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000004523
Adolescent Interview
Dr. Courtney Batt (she/her) is Assistant Professor of Pediatrics University of Colorado School of Medicine and an Adolescent Medicine physician at Children’s Hospital Colorado. She trained in Med-Peds and completed Adolescent Medicine Fellowship at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Her areas of interest are transitions of care, treatment of obesity and transgender health.
Paritosh Kaul, MD FSAHM, FAAP, is Professor of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine Section of Adolescent Medicine at the Children’s Hospital Colorado. His areas of interest are male health, mental health, cultural competency, and medical education.
Adolescent Male Sexuality
Warren M. Seigel, MD is the Chairman of Pediatrics/Director of Adolescent Medicine at Coney Island Hospital, Brooklyn, New York and Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at SUNY-Health Science Center at Brooklyn. Dr. Seigel is a member of The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM), past President of New York State SAHM, past president of the Brooklyn Pediatric Society, the New York State Chapter 2 – District II of the AAP, served on the AAP’s Executive Committee Adolescent Health and the National Committee on Adolescence. He is the current Chair of the New York State AAP.
Contraception
Leslie Rosenthal, MD is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Attending Physician in the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore. She completed Residency in Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, with fellowship at the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center and Baylor College of Medicine Texas Children’s Hospital.
Elizabeth M. Alderman, MD is Chief, Division of Adolescent Medicine at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore and Professor of Pediatrics and Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women’s Health at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She has been practicing adolescent medicine for almost 30 years and her interests include adolescent reproductive health care, legal/ethical concerns in adolescent health and medical education.
Eating Disorders
Jason Nagata, MD, MSc, is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, specializing in adolescent eating disorders. He researches eating disorders, body image, and muscle-enhancing behaviors in adolescent boys and young men. He edited the book Eating Disorders in Boys and Men.
Sara M Buckelew, MD, MPH is a Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine in the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Buckelew is the Medical Director of the Adolescent and Young Adult Clinical Program, including the Eating Disorder Program at the Benioff Children’s Hospital, San Francisco.
Gun Violence
Eric Sigel, MD specializes in Adolescent Medicine at U Colorado SOM. He is an active clinician and teacher. His research focuses on youth violence- how its recognition and treatment can become part of routine health care delivery- as well as ways to decrease the impact of firearm injury on youth.
Health Care Maintenance
David L. Bell, MD, MPH is a professor in the Department of Pediatrics and in the Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Since 1999, Dr. Bell has been medical director of the Young Men’s Clinic delivering primary care to adolescent and young adult males.
Male GU Exam Part 1
Dr. Jennifer Woods is a Professor of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Colorado where she is the Medical Director for Adolescent Medicine. She is the director for the resident rotation, and the Endocrinology course director for first year medical students. Dr Woods’ research interests include transition medicine, contraception and adolescent male health.
Male GU Exam Part 2
Dr. Jennifer Woods is a Professor of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Colorado where she is the Medical Director for Adolescent Medicine. She is the director for the resident rotation, and the Endocrinology course director for first year medical students. Dr Woods’ research interests include transition medicine, contraception and adolescent male health.
Positive Youth Development
Dr. Richard Chung is an associate professor of pediatrics and internal medicine at Duke University School of Medicine and Director of Adolescent Medicine at Duke Health. His clinical and research activities focus on the use of strength-based approaches to supporting positive developmental trajectories as adolescents transition to adulthood.
Dr. Ken Ginsburg practices Adolescent Medicine at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and is a Professor of Pediatrics. He directs Health Services at Covenant House Pennsylvania, where he serves youth enduring homelessness. He directs The Center for Parent and Teen Communication. He is editor of the multimedia toolkit “Reaching Teens” which offers youth-serving professionals trauma-sensitive strategies to promote positive youth development.
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Errol Fields, MD is an Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine. He is a physician scientist and an adolescent medicine subspecialist with research and clinical interest in treatment and prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
Substance Abuse
Laura K. Grubb, MD, MPH is a general pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist. She is an associate professor of Pediatrics and Public Health and Community Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. She serves on the Committee on Adolescence for the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Advocacy Chair for the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, and as an expert consultant for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
