This bnef document describes research and evaluations that have demonstrated that school-based health centers represent cost-effective investments of public resources.

Studies have suggested that skill-building through hands-on cooking as a nutrition education strategy, is effective to improve overall dietary quality among participants. FamilyCook Productions' "Diet for a Healthy Planet with Teen Battle Chefs(TM)" curriculum using this approach, was piloted in 2008 in a Brooklyn public high school…

The number of obese children has nearly tripled in the past 30 years. Research has identified a clear connection between parental income, education, ethnicity, and the risk for obesity. Recent research demonstrates that parenting style may also impact the ability to establish healthy eating environments. This article reviews a program, currently…

Teen sexual activity is costly, not just for teens, but also for society. Teens who engage in sexual activity risk a host of negative outcomes including STD infection, emotional and psychological harm, and out-of-wedlock childbearing. Genuine abstinence education is therefore crucial to the physical and psycho-emotional well-being of the nation's…

This study evaluated the outcome and process of a community-based aging intervention program for the elderly in Taiwan. The program included education on nutrition and dietary behavior and on physical activities. Outcome and process evaluations were conducted. The program may have had some effects on decreasing some dietary behavioral problems and…

From 2004-2008, capacity to conduct program evaluation was built among the "Network for a Healthy California's" 48 largest local partners. Capacity building was done within a framework of Empowerment Evaluation and Utility-Focused evaluation. Tools included: a Scope of Work template, a handbook, a compendium of surveys, an evaluation…

Adult onset, type2 diabetes affects Latino families at a higher rate than other ethnicities and negatively impacting their quality of life, ability to financially succeed, and ultimately impacting our overall economy. Multiple resources are available in the country to help people learn how to prevent, control, and manage diabetes. However, the…

The purpose of this study was to measure pre and post-test knowledge in response to an educational intervention. This program evaluation was completed on 68 undergraduate nursing students to determine if education related to substance use, alcohol poisoning and high risk behavior had an impact on knowledge base. The educational intervention was…

In order to assess elements of a healthy campus initiative at a rural regional university, program planners identified methods of ongoing evaluation that closely aligned with the initiative's goals and the population being served. As a result, a student health survey was administered to a voluntary sample of students (N = 484) during the fall 2009…

Background: A US federal mandate that school districts devise and implement local wellness policies (LWPs) has potential widespread impact on the nutritional content of foods and beverages available in schools and on the amount of physical activity that students engage in; however, evidence concerning the mandate's effectiveness is limited. This…

This article examines the role of multi-level partnerships in implementing Faithful Families Eating Smart and Moving More, a faith-based health promotion program that works with low-resource faith communities in North Carolina. This program incorporates a nine-lesson individual behavior change program in concert with policy and environmental…

This article describes a consulting project with an advocacy organization to raise cigarette excise taxes in Kentucky and to improve public health in the state. We describe the theoretical underpinnings of the project, the client, and our consultation process, objectives, products, and results.

Minimising discrepancies between Australia's rural and the more favourable urban health status relates to more than workforce recruitment, retention and access to health services: A proactive strategy, using resources at hand, can empower people to improve their health. Academics from a nurse education unit have, therefore, regularly engaged with…

In 2006, De Beers Consolidated Diamond Mines in South Africa entered into a partnership, with the Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communications to implement an HIV and AIDS Community Training Partnership Program (CTPP), initially in five diamond mining areas in three provinces of South Africa. The aim of CTPP was to improve HIV…

The Boston Middle School Corner Store Initiative (CSI) brought together schools, businesses, and community partners to develop, implement, and evaluate a multicomponent pilot program designed to promote healthier beverage purchasing at corner stores among 3,500 middle school students living in Boston, Massachusetts. Healthy drinks were defined for…