Lights] Camera] Action] Sexual decision-making

Responsible adolescent decision making can be enhanced with activities summarized in this article. Most adolescents recommend an older age to begin sexual intercourse than when they first began. Translating attitudes into personal behavior is difficult. Educators can help by devoting 2 50-minute class periods to introducing Sexual Intimacy: Considerations for Responsible Decision-making and directing groups to prepare a skit and resolution, which would be performed in the 2nd class period. Sexual Intimacy Considerations involve 8 points: being comfortable about your level of involvement, confident that humiliation or guilt will not result, sex is not being forced, tender feelings are being expressed rather than attempting to improve a relationship, contraception is agreed upon, sexual disease transmission is discussed, and agreement is reached on resolution of unexpected pregnancy. In addition, you should not be trying to prove your love, increase your self-worth, prove you are mature, show you can attract a sexual partner, get affection or attention or love, reel, or prove your masculinity or femininity. Groups should be small at 5-6 people. The skit should portray a situation involving pressure to have sexual relations. At least 10 verbal exchanges which express conflict should take place between the pressurer and pressuree. The 2nd time through resolution should be added. Discuss and summarize the issues presented. Compare the ways groups evaluate consequences, weigh factors, communicate, and negotiate. Make a list of consistent issues such as: coercion, ambivalence, pregnancy/sexually transmitted disease prevention, sex role stereotypes. Learning becomes more than decision making; it also 1) provides an opportunity to make or defend a rational rather than an emotional decision about sexual intimacy, 22) increases awareness of sexual pressures the opposite sex experiences, and 3) gives an opportunity for group feedback. Discussion guides suggest identifying the important decision in the skit, applying criteria from Sexual Intimacy Considerations, the alternatives available for each of the characters, selecting a resolution and sharing information.     

Alkaptonuria-ochronosis]

The authors describe the case of a 40-year old female patient. Since her childhood she realised of her urine the black discoloration of the underwear. For about a year, without subjective complaints, blue-black color of the skin involved the axillae and pinnae. For a year appeared the increased pain of thoracal and lumbal spine column and the limitation of motion of these parts. The examination of urine, histological and electron microscopical findings, the X-ray photograph of the spinal column confirmed the diagnosis of alkaptonuria or rather congenital ochronosis.     

Tungiasis]

Tungiasis is an inflammation of the skin caused by infestation of a fertilised female sand flea, Tunga penetrans. Two patients who contracted this skin disease in the tropics (Surinam and Kenya-Uganda) are described. Because of the increase of international travelling, import diseases are seen more often. If the disease is known, it is easy to diagnose and to treat tungiasis.