Elevated ‘hunger’ hormone leaves trauma-exposed teens at higher risk for PTSD

Chronic stress increases a blood-based hormone called acyl-ghrelin for years after the initial traumatic stressor exposure in some adolescents, and those with elevated levels of the hormone are more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to experience more severe cases of the condition, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Icahn […]

Interventions boost abstinence, condom use for black teens

Sexual health interventions are effective at increasing both abstinence and condom use in Black adolescents, according to research from North Carolina State University evaluating dozens of studies on interventions and outcomes in Black youth. The new paper, published in JAMA Pediatrics, draws on data from 29 studies that reported on a total of 11,918 Black […]

Shotguns Often Play Tragic Role in Rural Teens’ Suicides: Study

TUESDAY, Feb. 18, 2020 — Could stricter safety rules for rifles and shotguns help prevent suicide? Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore analyzed nearly 4,000 firearm suicides and found that long guns, not handguns, are more often the method of choice for youths and people in rural areas. Their analysis of Maryland data for […]