Author archive
By Vanessa Kellam, Health Connected Many parents agree – children require guidance on the topic of pornography. Philosophically, most assert that it should happen within the home, first and foremost. Parents provide a moral context for formal education about sexual health, relationships, drugs, alcohol, and other risk-related behaviors. It makes good sense to educate their own […]
By Vanessa Kellam, Health Connected Adults are standing in two groups, each at opposite sides of the room. Some stand confidently, with their “game face” on. Others shift from foot to foot, trying to avoid eye contact, clearly uncomfortable with the exercise. I’m facilitating an activity requiring parents to respond to a series of statements, […]
When it comes to sexual health, we are currently living through what history will recognize as a significant moment for human rights. Looking through young people’s eyes, all that is happening in our country and throughout our state must be jarring: #MeToo revelations are being revealed at a record pace, including the most recent headline-making […]
By: Bethany Young Holt, Ph.D This piece was originally published by Ms. Magazine and is also accessible on the IMPT blog. In the early 1990’s, I met a young woman named Gelete. I was working as part of an HIV prevention team along the Sudanese border of Ethiopia, and Gelete was one of our team’s most committed local […]
The first annual Global Teen Health Week is being celebrated this year from March 18 to March 24 to raise awareness about different adolescent health issues. This event is different from other adolescent health focused observances, in that it takes on a holistic view of adolescent health. With that, I am going to offer a […]
By Erica Root, MA Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division Storytelling has gained momentum as an education and health promotion tool. First-hand stories humanize public health efforts and demonstrate the impact of government programs in a way data cannot. And it also personalizes what it means to be in a “government program.” That’s why […]
Two posters highlighting California data about teen dating violence (TDV) and the contribution of declining adolescent births to overall decline in preterm births (PTB) were presented at the 2017 Annual Public Health Association (APHA) meeting. The first poster, also highlighted in the APHA newspaper, The Nations’ Health, demonstrated that youth who experienced TDV also reported […]
By: Kathleen Morrison As LGBTQ activism and awareness has increasingly entered the mainstream, activists and educators have pushed for using more gender-inclusive or gender-neutral language in education, the workplace, and everyday life. For those who want to adopt this type of language, but have questions or feel unsure about how to go about it, you’ve come […]
By: Kathleen Morrison If you have experienced sexual violence and are in need of crisis support, please call the RAINN Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). Last spring the Columbia Journal of Gender and Law published a study on the act of “stealthing,” or the removal of a condom during sexual intercourse without the knowledge of the […]
By: Kathleen Morrison With rates of STDs on the rise in the US, education and prevention programs that target youth and high risk communities are more necessary than ever. Research shows that comprehensive sex education and knowledge about condoms help teens make healthier, more informed choices about their sexual health. However, not all youth have […]