The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has highlighted the risk of non-users among college students using illegal prescription stimulants due to misinformation and incorrect assumptions. This qualitative study aimed to explore the perspectives of college students who do not use stimulants on perceived risks, social…

One year after the COVID-19 quarantine, we conducted an eight-week pilot study with third graders (n = 246), who took a repeating knowledge, attitude, and behavior pretest and a reading comprehension posttest from the eBook for Oral Health Literacy© curriculum. Our research questions were: 1) Will the knowledge, attitude, and behaviors of third…

Background: Health literacy research in school gardening is lacking. Development of a psychometrically sound survey can fill this gap. Purpose: The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to develop and validate a Functional Health Literacy Survey for School Gardening (FHLS-SG), and (2) to determine the effect of health literacy on reciprocal…

Body mass index (BMI) screenings are conducted as part of Head Start's (HS) health and nutrition assessments. Weight status classifications, which rely on the accuracy of the BMI measurements, are communicated to caregivers to engage them in health behavior change. Limited qualitative research has been conducted on the procedures for BMI…

Background: The effects of COVID-19 on social mobility are still being recognized yet few studies have examined sex behavior and sexual risk during the pandemic. Methods: A random sample of 2000 undergraduate students at a mid-sized, public university in Ohio were sent an electronic survey in April 2021. A total of 293 completed surveys were…

4-H youth development programs throughout the United States can be planned and delivered more effectively in their states by assessing demographic data and following research-based theories and models of positive youth development. A review of the research literature determined current youth development theories and models to effectively guide…

Study Objectives: To prospectively examine changes in adolescent sleep before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in adolescents with and without ADHD. Methods: Participants were 122 adolescents (ages 15-17; 61% male; 48% with ADHD). Parents reported on adolescents' sleep duration and difficulties initiating and maintaining sleep (DIMS); adolescents…

Objective: To examine the impact of nonmedical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) during sexual activity on the frequency of condom use among a sample of college students. Participants: Students attending a large Midwestern University (N = 4284) during April 2015. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of survey data using logistic…

Background: There is widespread evidence of the health and wellness benefits associated with moderate physical activity, and lack of engagement with these behaviours remains a significant contributor to the burden of chronic disease in the US adult population. There are clear benefits to identifying motivational factors that facilitate increased…

Nearly all states and the District of Columbia have policies requiring schools to address prevention of alcohol or drug use and abuse in high school health education curricula, according to National Association of State Boards of Education's (NASBE's) State Health Policy Database. But with the added concerns about the pandemic's impact on youth…

Objective: ADHD is a commonly diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorder in the U.S., with symptoms including hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. These symptoms can lead to increased engagement in unhealthy behaviors. The current study examined the associations between health risk factors and ADHD among a community-based sample of 345 students…

Background: Rates of PA are low among adolescents living in rural areas. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to measure 1 week of "free-living" PA via accelerometer among 9th- and 10th-grade students who reside in rural Appalachia. A second purpose was to identify gender differences in Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) variables correlated…

The Sugar Plays are a family-focused health intervention. The goal of the play is to explore the experience of living with a Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) diagnosis in Appalachia. This present study examined audience reactions using three data-collection methods: (1) open-ended questionnaires, (2) participatory sketches and (3) semi-structured…

Scalable interventions remain effective across a range of real-world settings and can be modified to fit organizational and community context. "Smoke-Free Homes: Some Things are Better Outside" has been effective in promoting smoke-free home rules in low-income households in efficacy, effectiveness, generalizability, and dissemination…

Background: Vegetable consumption is a challenging behavioral target; consumption rates are below recommended levels and when interventions produce improvements, increases in vegetable consumption are typically a fraction of the change in fruit consumption. We describe vegetable consumption within Ohio school meals and examine how fruit selection,…