He had always wanted to ask an andrologist but had never done so

AIM: To understand and analyze what young Italian males attending high school would like to ask andrologists but do not know how to or do not have the courage to do so.METHODS: As part of our "Androlife" campaign, we invited 1565 students attending the last year of high school to participate in our research. Firstly, they attended a lesson on general and andrological health and then, on a voluntary basis, they responded to a survey and were subjected to a preventive andrological visit. RESULTS: The data analysis showed that the main topics in which young people are interested are: sexual activity and sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, andrological health and fertility, and lifestyle.CONCLUSION: This study highlights that young people are very interested in sexual health issues and that they have specific needs and interests with regard to sexual health information. Public education campaigns such as Androlife should be supported and further improved on the basis of the advice received by young participants. Sexual and reproductive health educationtargeting adolescents and young adults represent the basis both for wellness and for fertility preservation, and thus benefits of increased support to educational campaigns would be apparent not only in terms of individual health but also in terms of cost reduction in public spending.

Failed ventriculoperitoneal shunt as treatment of infantile hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus is a common and complex condition caused by physical or functional obstruction of cerebrospinal fluid flow that leads to progressive ventricular dilatation affecting 1.1 in 1000 infants.1 From 2013 to 2017,at our hospital,there were 321 cases of hydrocephalus(178 male and 143 female)with a mean age of 18.5 months.

Psychosocial alterations during the COVID-19 pandemic and the global burden of anxiety and major depressive disorders in adolescents,1990-2021:challenges in mental health amid socioeconomic disparities

Background The coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic,a global health crisis,profoundly impacted all aspects of daily life.Adolescence,a pivotal stage of psychological and social development,is heavily influenced by the psychosocial and socio-cultural context.Hence,it is imperative to thoroughly understand the psychosocial changes adolescents experienced during the pandemic and implement effective management initiatives.Data sources We examined the incidence rates of depressive and anxiety disorders among adolescents aged 10–19 years globally and regionally.We utilized data from the Global Burden of Diseases,Injuries,and Risk Factors Study(GBD)2021 to compare pre-pandemic(2018–2019)and pandemic(2020–2021)periods.Our investigation covered 204 countries and territories across the six World Health Organization regions.We conducted a comprehensive literature search using databases including PubMed/MEDLINE,Scopus,and Google Scholar,employing search terms such as“psychosocial”,“adolescent”,“youth”,“risk factors”,“COVID-19 pandemic”,“prevention”,and“intervention”.Results During the pandemic,the mental health outcomes of adolescents deteriorated,particularly in terms of depressive and anxiety disorders.According to GBD 2021,the incidence rate of anxiety disorders increased from 720.26[95%uncertainty intervals(UI)=548.90–929.19]before the COVID-19 pandemic(2018–2019)to 880.87 per 100,000 people(95%UI=670.43–1132.58)during the COVID-19 pandemic(2020–2021).Similarly,the incidence rate of major depressive disorder increased from 2333.91(95%UI=1626.92–3138.55)before the COVID-19 pandemic to 3030.49 per 100,000 people(95%UI=2096.73–4077.73)during the COVID-19 pandemic.This worsening was notably pronounced in high-income countries(HICs).Rapid environmental changes,including heightened social anxiety,school closures,economic crises,and exacerbated racism,have been shown to adversely affect the mental well-being of adolescents.Conclusions The abrupt shift to remote learning and the absence of in-person social interactions heightened feelings of loneliness,anxiety,sadness,and stress among adolescents.This change magnified existing socioeconomic disparities,posing additional challenges.These complexities profoundly impact adolescents’well-being,especially vulnerable groups like those from HICs,females,and minorities.Acknowledging the underreporting bias in low-to middle-income countries highlights the importance of addressing these mental health alterations in assessments and interventions within these regions as well.Urgent interventions are crucial as the pandemic-induced mental stress may have lasting effects on adolescents’mental health.