Making meaning of the virginity experience: young men's perceptions in the United States

ABSTRACT

A qualitative grounded theory approach was used to analyze 34 narratives from young men about their experience of retaining, losing, or giving away their virginity, where 7 said they were virgins, 26 said they were non-virgins, and one did not mention his virginity status. We found that virginity is a multidimensional concept, with two distinct dimensions: the experiential and the developmental. The experiential dimension refers to young men's perception and understanding of their virginity in four overlapping areas: physical, spiritual, relational, and emotional. The developmental dimension refers to young men's perception of their underlying sexual identity growth processes and the gendered and sexual double standards that influence this understanding. Clinical implications of this study are useful in education and counseling. They seek to empower young men with information relating to the multidimensional nature of virginity experience, and minimize the negative effects on romantic relationships, sexual adjustment, and self-identity development. The findings are helpful in designing interventions for young men and women who are at high risk for sexually transmitted infections and can help them negotiate mutually safe and pleasurable experiences regarding their virginity.     

Rural barriers to early lung cancer detection: Exploring access to lung cancer screening programs in New Hampshire and Vermont

BackgroundRural populations face many health disadvantages compared to urban areas. There is a critical need to better understand the current lung cancer screening landscape in these communities to identify targeted areas to improve the impact of this proven tool.MethodsData from the County Health Rankings of New Hampshire and Vermont was reviewed for population density, distribution of adult smokers, and level of education compared to the distribution of Lung Cancer Screening Facilities throughout these two states.ResultsScreening programs in southern counties of Vermont with lower levels of education have decreased access. In New Hampshire, there are no programs within 30 miles of the areas with the largest distribution of smokers, and decreased access in some areas with the lowest levels of education.ConclusionsImproving equitable access to high-quality screening services in rural regions and the creation of targeted interventions to address decreased access in areas of high tobacco use and low education is vital to decreasing the incidence of latestage presentations of lung cancer within these populations.     

A cut above the rest: Trimming as a painless depilatory

Shaving and other modes of epilation can cause undue anxiety, pain, or skin irritation in children. Here, we present hair trimming as a safe, painless, and cost‐effective alternative for patients with unwanted hair which may be performed indefinitely or until the child is old enough to direct management. In select cases, removing unwanted hair using this technique may facilitate dermatologic surveillance.     

Detrended fluctuation analysis detects altered coordination of running gait in athletes following a heavy period of training

Objectives

To investigate whether functional overreaching affects locomotor system behaviour when running at fixed relative intensities and if any effects were associated with changes in running performance.

Development of a Simulation-Based Mastery Learning Curriculum for Breaking Bad News

Introduction

Physician communication impacts patient outcomes. However, communication skills, especially around difficult conversations, remain suboptimal, and there is no clear way to determine the validity of entrustment decisions. The aims of this study were to 1) describe the development of a simulation-based mastery learning (SBML) curriculum for breaking bad news (BBN) conversation skills and 2) set a defensible minimum passing standard (MPS) to ensure uniform skill acquisition among learners.

Anticipatory perioperative management for patent ductus arteriosus surgery: Understanding postligation cardiac syndrome

Ligation of a hemodynamically significant ductus arteriosus results in significant changes in loading conditions which have predictable consequences. Postligation cardiac syndrome, defined as hypotension requiring inotropic support and failure of oxygenation and ventilation, may occur 6‐12 hours following ligation due to left ventricular systolic and diastolic failure, respectively. Afterload is the primary driver of this decompensation. In this review, we describe the pathophysiological changes in loading conditions associated with postligation cardiac syndrome and other contributors to cardiovascular dysfunction following ductal ligation. We present strategies for perioperative optimization and a physiology‐based algorithm for postoperative management guided by targeted neonatal echocardiography. The use of these strategies to reduce the frequency of postligation deterioration may be an avenue to improve outcomes for neonates in this vulnerable patient population.     

The impact of neighborhoods and friendships on interracial anxiety among medical students and residents: A report from the medical student CHANGES study

Objective

To examine the experience of interracial anxiety among health professionals and how it may affect the quality of their interactions with patients from racially marginalized populations. We explored the influence of prior interracial exposure—specifically through childhood neighborhoods, college student bodies, and friend groups—on interracial anxiety among medical students and residents. We also examined whether levels of interracial anxiety change from medical school through residency.

Data Source

Web-based longitudinal survey data from the Medical Student Cognitive Habits and Growth Evaluation Study.

Study Design

We used a retrospective longitudinal design with four observations for each trainee. The study population consisted of non-Black US medical trainees surveyed in their 1st and 4th years of medical school and 2nd and 3rd years of residency. Mixed effects longitudinal models were used to assess predictors of interracial anxiety and assess changes in interracial anxiety scores over time.

Principal Findings

In total, 3155 non-Black medical trainees were followed for 7 years. Seventy-eight percent grew up in predominantly White neighborhoods. Living in predominantly White neighborhoods and having less racially diverse friends were associated with higher levels of interracial anxiety among medical trainees. Trainees' interracial anxiety scores did not substantially change over time; interracial anxiety was highest in the 1st year of medical school, lowest in the 4th year, and increased slightly during residency.

Conclusions

Neighborhood and friend group composition had independent effects on interracial anxiety, indicating that premedical racial socialization may affect medical trainees' preparedness to interact effectively with diverse patient populations. Additionally, the lack of substantial change in interracial anxiety throughout medical training suggests the importance of providing curricular tools and structure (e.g., instituting interracial cooperative learning activities) to foster the development of healthy interracial relationships.