This 1963 paper explains that physicians must help balance their patients' desire to live a pleasurable life with their desire to be healthy, noting that if they insist upon only health-promoting behaviors, their patients will view them as being "warriors against pleasure" and may not follow their advice. (SM)

This study assessed the comparability and reliability of paper-based and computer-based administration of psychosocial construct measures related to adolescents engaging in physical activity and sedentary behaviors. Adolescents (n = 76; 55% girls, 49% Hispanic, 18% non-Hispanic-white; M age = 13 years) completed measures of behavior change…

School-based body mass index (BMI) screening and parent notification programs have been advanced as an obesity prevention strategy. However, little is known about how to develop and implement programs. This qualitative study explored the opinions and beliefs of parents of elementary school students concerning school-based BMI screening programs,…

This article presents findings from a qualitative study of 53 low-income women who were smokers at the onset of pregnancy. Study participants were interviewed during pregnancy to document smoking trajectories and factors contributing to, or undermining, harm reduction and quit attempts. Thirty percent of women quit smoking completely, 43% engaged…

This focus paper contains reprints of 11 articles intended to provide an overview of the key issues in the area of adolescent behavior change as it relates to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) education. Included are: (1) "Preventing HIV Infection and AIDS in Children and Adolescents" (J.…

Health behavior may be influenced by age, beliefs, and symptomatology. To examine age-related health beliefs and behaviors with respect to six diseases (the common cold, colon-rectal cancer, lung cancer, heart attack, high blood pressure, and senility), 396 adults (196 males, 200 females) divided into three age groups completed a questionnaire…

Health educators are described as having the primary teaching objectives of (1) reduction of premature death rates; (2) reduction of incidences of serious disabling diseases; and (3) promotion of intelligent, self-directed health behavior. Stress is examined as a major factor in ill-health among today's youth, and a rationale is presented for…

A summative research program sought to determine the impact, benefits, and consequences of "Feeling Good"--a series of hour and half-hour broadcasts oriented toward health, produced by Children's Television Workshop for airing on public television, and targeted toward the adult viewing population. The research procedure was a variant of…

This paper describes a two-year project designed to test the effectiveness of a family-based health behavior change intervention in 206 Anglo or Mexican-American families. Methodology and results to date are presented. (MT)

Using nationally representative data from students in grades 9 to 12 from the national Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) of 1991, 1993, 1995, and 1997, this study examined changes in high school students' participation in health risk behaviors. Ten specific health risk behaviors were identified, each of which poses potential immediate and…

Pretest comparisons on Health Behavior Inventory do not support hypothesis that low class students have less desirable health habits than do middle class ones. Differences occur on five specific items pertaining to weight control, social behavior, dental health, infection prevention, and responsibility for community health. (Author/CJ)

Health contracting is a useful structure to guide and facilitate lifestyle and behavior changes and to promote self-control and responsibility. An investigation of college students' attempts to change health behaviors through contracting is reported. Health instruction and contracts appear to affect, and to have some lasting effects on, students'…

If health education is to develop into a discipline that increases the competencies of people to implement decisions about health behaviors, the development of a paradigm that can be used as an alternative to the behavior change paradigm is required. Several models of behavior change are presented. (JN)

Results indicate that the described program is an effective learning device for altering negative health behavior patterns and for reinforcing positive health care activities. (LH)

Discusses how health education researchers can use the Internet to both intervene in health behavior and evaluate the effects of interventions (eHealth), describing the potential of computer technology for behavior interventions via message tailoring, intervention tailoring, simulations, games, and online communities, and noting implementation…