Background:Studies have shown limited awareness about cancer risk factors among hospital-based staff. Less is known about general cancer awareness among community frontline National Health Service and social care staff.Methods:A cross-sectional computer-assisted telephone survey of 4664 frontline community-based health and social care staff in North West England.Results:A total of 671 out of 4664 (14.4%) potentially eligible subjects agreed to take part. Over 92% of staff recognised most warning signs, except an unexplained pain (88.8%, n=596), cough or hoarseness (86.9%, n=583) and a sore that does not heal (77.3%, n=519). The bowel cancer-screening programme was recognised by 61.8% (n=415) of staff. Most staff agreed that smoking and passive smoking ‘increased the chance of getting cancer.' Fewer agreed about getting sunburnt more than once as a child (78.0%, n=523), being overweight (73.5%, n=493), drinking more than one unit of alcohol per day (50.2%, n=337) or doing less than 30 min of moderate physical exercise five times a week (41.1%, n=276).Conclusion:Cancer awareness is generally good among frontline staff, but important gaps exist, which might be improved by targeted education and training and through developing clearer messages about cancer risk factors.

The pediatrician can be useful to the young person with a drug problem if he: (1) is aware of the different motivations for drug abuse by adolescents and how to approach them, (2) recognizes the need for confidentiality, (3) provides factual information in a non-authoritarian manner and listens and counsels as indicated, and (4) manipulates the environment-to relieve school and family pressures and to help youngsters find better challenges. Drug abuse in children and adolescents is a major source of concern to parents, educators, law enforcement agencies, and physicians. For the pediatrician as well as the others, a challenge exists to find more appropriate ways of help for young people who turn to drug abuse for the answer that is not there.

Young people who find themselves in juvenile court facilities constitute a group who traditionally have displayed a high incidence of health problems. Many have had inadequate care in the past, and enter with preexisting medical and dental conditions. Whether or not they are in good physical health, they often are handicapped in the area of mental health. The conditions which necessitate removing them from their homes and placing them in institutions may aggravate, or even cause, physical and mental health problems. When society undertakes to remove children and youth from their homes and place them in institutions away from the care of their parents, it assumes certain obligations. Among these obligations is care of their physical and mental health. Health programs in juvenile court facilities must be broad and comprehensive and must go beyond the mere provision of medical care. The extent of the health care which should be offered to an individual will depend on the length of time he is in the institution. But, every institution which confines juveniles should have a health program designed to protect and promote the physical and mental well-being of residents, to discover those in need of short-term or long-term medical and dental treatment, and to contribute to their rehabilitation by appropriate diagnosis and treatment and provision of continuity of care following release. The standards given here are designed to attain these goals. ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE OF THE HEALTH PROGRAM Health Council 1. Each institution should have a multidisciplinary health council to set the policies of the health program. 2. The council may be organized within the institution or by the authority which operates the institution.

Whereas, certain minors are not obtaining adequate medical, dental, or other health care due to current legal and medical obstacles, Whereas, providers of medical, dental, and other health care are now vulnerable to legal action for giving care to minors, Whereas, there is a need for coordination, stimulation, and support of access to medical, dental, and other health care for certain minors in need of such care without violating the rights of parents to protect and promote their minors' health, Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of-----,as follows: Section 1. For the purposes of this act: (1) "Minor" means any person under the age of majority as defined by the State statute or under 18 years of age, whichever is lower; (2) "Health Professional" means state licensed physician, psychologist, dentist, osteopathic physician, nurse, and other licensed health practitioner; (3) "Health Services" means health services specified by the state, appropriately delivered by different health professionals including examination, preventive and curative treatment, operation, hospilization (admission or discharge), giving or receiving blood and blood derivatives, receiving organ transplantation, pledging donation of organs after death, the use of anesthetics, and receiving contraceptive advice and devices; (4) The masculine shall include the feminine. Section 2. Any person who reaches the age of majority or 18 years of age or is on active duty with or has served in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States shall be considered an adult in so far as the consent for health services is concerned.

Problems relating to human reproduction are among the critical issues of our time, and it is appropriate that pediatricians contribute to the solution of these problems. The changing dimensions of comprehensive pediatric care, more specifically the significant numbers of pregnancies being reported in young persons, support this position. For example, national statistics show that 44% of all pregnancies occur in persons under 20, and one out of four mothers on Aid to Families with Dependent Children in New York is pregnant before 16. At least four roles can be identified for the pediatrician: 1. Genetic counseling: the pediatrician has already become proficient in giving knowledge to parents of the incidence of inborn errors of metabolism, chromosomal abnormalities, and other problems associated with genetic inheritance patterns. 2. Sex education: he often provides sex education to individual patients, families, and parents, in addition to teaching groups in his own practice and in schools, churches, or youth organizations. 3. Family planning and pregnancy counseling: he may provide assistance in these areas in behalf of the parents or adolescents. This assistance may involve a wide range of clinical advice and treatment, including the concept of spacing (rhythm method), contraceptive devices, or oral medication, whatever is considered most suitable for the individual. All alternatives for dealing with an unwanted pregnancy should be seriously discussed with the teenage girl and the other persons involved, including the parents if feasible. The pediatrician is in a unique position by the nature of his close association and relationship with the adolescent patient to provide this important personal service.