Qualitative interviews and focus groups are commonly used methods to elicit participants' voices in program evaluations. However, the use of these data-gathering methods can fall short of the goal; even with open-ended questions, the protocols guiding and shaping interviews and focus groups heavily reflect the evaluators' understanding and…

Objective: With the proliferation of vaping in recent years, vaping-related mass media campaigns have been implemented to discourage vaping among youth and young adults. Research on salient vaping-related themes for vaping cessation is lacking. This study aimed to identify promising belief themes for use in young adult-targeted vaping cessation…

Background: Rural populations in the USA demonstrate a high degree of vaccine hesitancy, particularly surrounding COVID-19 vaccines. Objectives: Following the successful implementation of a COVID-19 vaccination campaign with a rural-based health system in New York state, the goal of this project was to develop a large community-academic…

Objective: As more institutions adopt the Okanagan Charter (2015) to become health-promoting campuses, the question of how to effectively evaluate the impact of this work remains key. This article describes the development of an evaluation model designed to measure the collective impact of embedding holistic health into all aspects of campus…

Multidisciplinary teams of school- and community-employed mental health, health, and educational staff work together in schools to offer a full continuum of mental health promotion, prevention, early intervention, and treatment services and supports. Intentional teaming structures and practices are essential to ensure teams deliver effective,…

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a devastating and long-lasting effect on most of the world. In an attempt to slow the spread of the virus, public health authorities instituted guidelines for schools regarding social distancing, mask wearing, and quarantining, and the U.S. educational system was forced to adjust. This…

Background: More than 20 million children in the United States lack access to primary health care. Practice Learning: Research shows that students with regular access to physical and mental health services have fewer absences, are more social, less likely to participate in risky behaviors, have improved focus and higher test scores. Implication…

Context: Rural populations experience both a higher prevalence of and risk for premature death from chronic conditions than do their urban counterparts. Yet barriers to implement community-based chronic disease self-management programs persist. Program: The Living Well program, a multi-sector collaboration between a rural health care system and a…

A number of states have taken steps toward promoting student wellness, with many of their state boards of education in the middle of the action. This article contains some examples of states leading on student wellness by addressing physical fitness, social and emotional learning (SEL), and mental health supports. The Every Student Succeeds Act…

Despite the promise of incentive-based chronic disease prevention programs, comprehensive evidence on their accessibility among low-income populations remains limited. We adapted Aday and Andersen's framework to examine accessibility and consumer satisfaction within the Medicaid Incentives for the Prevention of Chronic Disease (MIPCD) cross-site…

This study explored the effects of a middle school physical activity intervention for adolescent girls on the executive functioning involved in science learning. The girls, ages 11 to 14, were at risk for low self-esteem, sedentary lifestyle, and poor health outcomes. Executive function stems from interdependent cognitive control processes that…

There is no "magic potion" or vaccine to prevent youth from using alcohol or other drugs. Adolescent substance abuse prevention programs have been largely ineffective because the messaging is taken for granted. Efforts based on theories of growth and development patterns, and are inclusive of strategies beyond the classroom and home,…

Objective: To determine individual and group patient ideas and priorities regarding ways to enhance their own health care while providing a supportive environment including a clinical lipidologist and other medical experts. The intent was to transform these ideas and priorities into hypotheses for future research while enhancing current health…

Purpose/Objectives: In 2009, the Smarter Lunchroom Movement (SLM) strategy was created to provide schools across the United States (US) with evidence-based solutions to encourage healthier eating among children. Results, though, are inconsistent with how well this movement impacts school-aged children's healthy food selection and consumption.…

Awareness of the history of health education efforts is important for health educators. The VD Radio Project, developed in the middle of the 20th century, was a cooperative effort of the United States Public Health Service and Columbia University designed to encourage people to be tested for sexually transmitted infections. How the campaign came…