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…

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…

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…

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,…

This "Equity by Design" brief highlights equity issues that arise in the process of reopening schools during a global pandemic. The authors examine state plans and guidance for reopening schools across states in the Midwest & Plains Equity Assistance Center (MAP EAC) region which includes the 13 states of Indiana, Illinois, Iowa,…

Many children in U.S. K-12 schools struggle with childhood obesity. A healthy lifestyle taught in a child's early years is essential for student learning, and it can set the pace for healthy choices to be made in adulthood. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to explore the experiences of parents in Montgomery County, Ohio, who…

Extension has taught successful classes to address heart disease, yet heart disease remains the number one killer in the United States. The U.S. government's Million Hearts initiative seeks collaboration among colleges, local and state health departments, Extension and other organizations, and medical providers in imparting a consistent message…