This brief by Abt Associates discusses the application of digital tools to build capacity for both tracking activities and analyzing service quality and trends so providers can develop more responsive interventions. It describes the benefits of a CommCare-based, Abt-deployed Community-Based Events and Continuing Medication apps, developed for the…

This study explores the relevance of the breathalyzer test as a harm reduction tool in outreach interventions implemented in nightlife environments. Specifically, it analyzes (i) gender and age differences on Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC); (ii) the association between BAC levels and expected effects and (iii) the relationship between BAC…

Some STEM outreach programs connect students to real-world problems and challenge them to work towards solutions. Research shows one-third of children between ages 5-17 in the U.S. are overweight. Socioeconomic status, race, and parental educational attainment all influence this issue as well as living in a rural or urban area. A rural high school…

Background: The human papillomavirus (HPV) causes an estimated 11,600 males to contract HPV-associated cancers in the U.S. every year. Purpose: We describe the generalized results of a social media marketing campaign. The aim was to identify predictors of self-reported HPV vaccine uptake and target these predictors in a health education campaign…

Objective: This study evaluated the longitudinal impact of the Teen Outreach Programme (TOP) on adolescent pregnancy, sexual behaviour, risky sex and sexual intentions in non-metropolitan high schools. Design: Pair-matched, cluster randomised controlled trial. Setting: Non-metropolitan public high schools in Florida, USA. Methods: TOP was…

To test the efficacy of an intervention to reduce tobacco use among youth (10-19 years old) in slum communities in Delhi, India. This community-based cluster-randomized trial included 14 slums composed of purposely built resettlement colonies and adjacent inhabitant-built Jhuggi Jhopris. Youth in the intervention received a 2 year…

Objective: Comprehensive information on the facilitators of HIV testing in Latino women (Latinas) in the Southeastern USA is lacking. Efforts to rectify this should include Latina perspectives on the issue. This study aimed to (1) solicit Latina perspectives using qualitative methodology and (2) characterise enablers of HIV testing follow-through.…

Childhood obesity may be lessened by parent-focused interventions. A pilot parent-directed trial with 46 parents of overweight and obese elementary school students was conducted at two ethnically diverse public schools in Framingham, Massachusetts. Parents were randomly assigned to either the Materials Group, which received mailed educational…

Objective: To test the feasibility of a dissemination strategy to increase faith communities' (FCs) adoption and implementation of a tested dietary intervention. Design: The study was a randomized, controlled trial that took place over a 9-month period. Setting: Seattle, Washington, metropolitan area. Participants: Seven FCs assigned to an…

The "Building Bridges to General Practice" (BBGP) program is an outreach initiative. It aims to reduce young peoples' perceived knowledge- and belief-based barriers to engaging in treatment and to increase their behavioral intentions to consult a general medical practitioner (GP) for physical and psychological problems. By increasing…

Until recently, teen pregnancy and birth rates had declined steadily in the United States in recent years. Despite these declines, the United States has the highest teen birth rate and one of the highest rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among all industrialized nations. To help young people reduce their risk for pregnancy and STIs,…

Until recently, teen pregnancy and birth rates had declined in the United States. Despite these declines, U.S. teen birth and sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates remain among the highest in the industrialized world. Given the need to focus limited prevention resources on effective programs, Advocates for Youth undertook exhaustive reviews…

A sobering description of the state of college men's health is followed by discussion of the Six-Point HEALTH Plan and strategies for educational campaigns, marketing, and outreach efforts.