Mediterranean and Middle East Action Group for Adolescent Medicine (M.A.G.A.M.): Origins, development and aims

Abstract

My colleagues and I read with great interest the article by Bennet and Tonkin on international developments in adolescent medicine [[1]Bennet D.L. Tonkin R.S. International developments in adolescent health care a story of advocacy and achievement.J Adolesc Health. 2003; 33: 240-251Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (19) Google Scholar]. We would like to offer our own contribution to the field by sharing our recent experience regarding the establishment of the Mediterranean and Middle East Action Group on Adolescent Medicine (M.A.G.A.M.). On the 7th and 8th of September, 2001, the Pediatric and Adolescent Unit of Arcispedale S. Anna of Ferrara (Italy) and the Italian Society for Adolescent Medicine (S.I.M.A.) organized a workshop with selected delegates from nine Mediterranean countries (Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Iran, Italy, Jordan, and Spain) in order to promote the theory and practice of adolescent medicine in this region. The workshop provided a unique opportunity to learn about the health issues of adolescents living in participating countries and to meet general pediatricians, pediatric endocrinologists, and experts in chronic diseases from the Mediterranean area who devote their professional activities to these youth. The decision to set up an action group (M.A.G.A.M.) to continue the momentum that originated in Ferrara was discussed further and developed during the two following annual meetings of S.I.M.A. that took place in Catanzaro October 26th, 2002 and Castiadas-Cagliari October 25th, 2003. Despite the variability in health services among the different nations, common concerns have been identified. These include the promulgation of adolescent medicine as a distinct field, the organization of health services specifically for adolescents, and the education of personnel in the care of teens. With these concerns in mind, we have drawn up the following objectives for M.A.G.A.M.: (a)to examine the current status of adolescent health in the Mediterranean area(b)to investigate intervention and prevention programs in Mediterranean countries and to evaluate their effectiveness(c)to attract the attention of physicians to adolescent health in the Mediterranean countries and to increase their sensitivity in this respect by organizing educational programs(d)to initiate and support in many Mediterranean countries the development of programs to enable physicians involved in the care of adolescents to adequately address and manage the health needs of their patients(e)to promote professional organization with a primary interest in the health and well being of adolescents. Since the first workshop, membership in M.A.G.A.M. has increased. At present, the organization also has delegates from Turkey, Portugal, Oman, South Arabia, and Switzerland. To create a bridge across the Atlantic, a delegate from the United States participated in the last two workshops; her article on adolescent health in the United States was published in the Italian Journal of Pediatrics [[2]Fiscina B. An overview of adolescent health care in the United States.Ital J Pediatr. 2003; 23: 328-335Google Scholar]. A brief description of adolescent health care in countries participating in the Ferrara M.A.G.A.M. workshop has been published recently [[3]De Sanctis V. Saggese G. Angastiniotis M. et al.on behalf of M.A.G.A.M.Adolescent health care in the Mediterranean area. Ital J Pediatr. 2002; 28: 183-187Google Scholar], and an article on obesity in adolescents living in Mediterranean countries has been submitted for publication to Pediatric Endocrinology in Review [[4]De Sanctis V. Pintor C. M.A.G.A.M.Obesity in adolescents living in Mediterranean countries the report of Mediterranean Action Group for Adolescent Medicine (M.A.G.A.M.).Pediatr Endocrinol Rev. 2004; 3: 340-342Google Scholar]. Further activities of M.A.G.A.M. include its constitution and regulation as a scientific society, contact with international and national organizations involved in adolescent medicine, preparation of an Internet web site, and the development of studies, diffused via the annual workshop and international medical journals. In this regard, M.A.G.A.M. will publish papers [[5]Kattamis C. Epidemiology of chronic diseases in adolescence in Mediterranean population.Ital J Adol Med. 2004; 1: 47-52Google Scholar] and statements in the official Journal of the Italian Society for Adolescent Medicine (R.I.M.A.), which will serve as a forum for discussion of teaching, research, and other topics of mutual interest to M.A.G.A.M. members. The M.A.G.A.M. constitution was approved during the 4th M.A.G.A.M. Congress in Istanbul (June 24–25, 2004; President: O. Ercan). The 5th M.A.G.A.M. workshop will be held in Catanzaro on October 9, 2005 (President: G. Raiola). We hope that all the objectives of M.A.G.A.M. will be reached in the coming years and we are prepared to offer the results of our work to promote adolescent health in developing countries.