Child inactivity, overweightness, and obesity are recognized problems in the United States. Despite characterization as an "epidemic," children continue to fall short in meeting physical activity recommendations necessary to maintain proper health. Relevant literature indicates that after-school programs (ASPs) are viable options for…

Background: The impact of the National Diabetes Prevention Program (N-DPP) for Latinos "post-program" participation is uncertain. Purpose: We examine the experiences of Latinos who participated in the N-DPP in continuing the dietary and physical activity changes learned in the program. Methods: This is a qualitative descriptive interview…

Objective: Mental health concerns of college students are on the rise, prompting a need for communication campaigns to address ways to assist students. The current campaign utilized weekly bathroom stall messaging to address five key themes developed by a university's mental wellness task force. Participants: Undergraduate students at a large…

Background: Integrating public health into science courses helps students grasp the links between health recommendations and scientific principles. During COVID-19, a team of 19 educators, scientists and clinicians designed 25 science inquiry lessons to enhance disease knowledge and prevention strategies among school-aged children. The efficacy of…

This study assessed the impact of Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) on the mood profile, anxiety, mental well-being, and stress of university students. Stress has always been a widespread issue for university students, with the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating the problem. The need for stress alleviation therapies to be further investigated within…

Adverse life events and trauma have the potential to devastate college students' lives across all domains of well-being, including physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and social. Thriving despite these challenges requires academic resilience. Physical activity is one well-known strategy to support increased resilience. No research has…

Rates of migration continue to rise in the United States; between 1965 and 2015, new immigrants and their ancestors accounted for 55% of population growth. In Latin America, ongoing violence, extreme poverty, and political instability force many families to migrate north to the United States. Before, during, and after migration, immigrant children…

Background: Studies show that lifetime wellness courses improve physical self-efficacy, which in turn increases wellness behaviour, specifically an increase in physical activity (PA). Because of this and other factors influencing overall health, it is important to understand the potential impact of health and wellness courses. The literature…

Teenage siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at risk of worse mental health outcomes than their peers, yet there have been few interventions focused on improving their psychosocial wellbeing. This study explored the acceptability of an 8-session virtual group mind-body resiliency intervention for teen siblings of children…

Background: The dissemination and implementation (D&I) of evidence-based initiative (EBIs) is critical to improved public health. The Asthma 411 EBI was piloted in Texas from 2013 to 2015. The pilot's evaluation assessed its effectiveness and identified approaches to support D&I of school-health EBIs. Methods: The pilot study was conducted…

This study presents findings from a feasibility trial, testing an 8-week psychosocial stigma protection intervention (SOLACE) designed to improve the mental health of parents of autistic children. Seventeen parents were stratified then randomly assigned to either SOLACE (n = 9) or control group (n = 8). Retention and adherence rates were excellent…

Background: Workplace wellness programs have been widely implemented to promote employee health outcomes and reduce health costs. However, little is known about how designs of wellness programs matter for best promoting positive employee health outcomes. Purpose: This research aims to identify the most effective designs of workplace wellness…

In remote and very remote Australia, young people engage youth workers in sexual health discussions, often out of necessity due to low access to health services. Youth workers' and youth service managers' perspectives on these interactions and the sexual health training they receive are poorly understood. In this study, youth workers and youth…

The University System of Georgia (USG) has a state-wide initiative aimed at increasing the well-being of faculty and staff by incentivizing a decrease in tobacco product usage by employees covered by a USG healthcare plan. This incentive is positive in that aid in stopping tobacco product usage is offered to each member; and negative in that each…

Background/purpose: This study explores the extent to which ChatGPT, an AI-powered large language model, can support school counseling services in addressing students' academic, social, and emotional needs, considering student AI literacy and adoption. It investigates ChatGPT's role in assisting counselors, delivering personalized guidance,…