Background: The "AMA Guidelines for Adolescent Preventive Services" (GAPS) recommends annual medical evaluations during adolescence, emphasizing screening and counseling regarding psychosocial issues. In Israel, seventh graders undergo medical examinations within the school health services, focusing on the detection of physical…

There is a well known large and persistent association between education and health. This relationship has been observed in many countries and time periods, and for a wide variety of health measures. The differences between the more and the less educated are significant: in 1999, the age-adjusted mortality rate of high school dropouts ages 25 to…

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have a long history of supporting investigator-initiated research and research training to enhance the scientific understanding of and effective interventions for a range of problems associated with youth violence. New technologies are emerging and basic…

Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this research was to explore the attitudes and barriers related to the implementation of the local wellness policy (LWP) in the elementary school setting. Methods: Researchers used a two-phase approach. Phase I included focus group interviews with school nutrition directors, principals, teachers, parents, and…

Since decisions about sexual behavior are made by couples, communication between sexual partners is essential for preventing risky sexual behavior. In particular, teens who discuss contraception and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) with their partners before they engage in sex are more likely to use contraception when they do have sex, which…

This pilot study tests the feasibility of using a Talking Circle approach and measures cultural values and beliefs within a HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevention program conducted among a Native American (Cherokee) youth population. A descriptive correlation design was used to examine the relationship between Cherokee self-reliance and…

Most of the existing ecological studies have been conducted during class instructional time. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe (a) how students (N = 102; grade 2-4) engaged in a strategy named "Health Passport" taking place mainly outside of school time and (b) how four physical education teachers held students…

Background: Obesity has become a national epidemic among youth. Declining physical activity and poor nutrition contribute to this epidemic. The purpose of this study was to obtain data on middle school students' physical activity and nutrition knowledge and practices. Methods: The Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey was developed and…

The use of illicit and licit drugs continues to be a major public health concern. Many prevention and drug education programs address this issue by attempting to enhance self-esteem. The idea is that increased levels of self-esteem will serve as a protective factor in decreasing the motivation and increasing the resistance to use drugs. This study…

Seven studies explored the relationships between risk-taking predispositions and health attitudes, beliefs, and involvement. Data were gathered from surveys, and from lab and field experiments on 1,323 subjects. Findings indicated five risk-taking factors: adventurousness, rebelliousness, impulsiveness, physical risk taking, and unconventional…

Perceived control has become an important construct for health care research. Since the processes and outcomes of health and illness are constantly mediated and affected by communication, the relationship between a person's belief in his/her personal control of events and health care interactions is an important component of the theory and…

Develops transactional process model of human judgment and information processing that directs attention away from accumulation of information to the needs, motives, and abilities of information user. Argues that model can be used to improve effectiveness of information-based interventions. Discusses two structural aspects of drug use images.…

A three-dimensional conceptual model for health promotion interventions to prevent adolescent drug abuse is elaborated. Components of a specific health promotion program, the Minnesota Heart Health Program, that are designed to prevent adolescent drug abuse are described. These include health behavior campaigns, educational interventions, and…

Discovering why adolescents take sexual risks, despite knowledge of consequences, is a vital first step in combating the problem. Optimistic bias, the misperception that one is less likely than others to experience negative consequences from health behaviors, offers a promising explanation for adolescents' sexual risk-taking. Unfortunately,…

Healthy People 2010 is the initiative that defines the U.S. health agenda and guides policy. The initiative provides direction for individuals to change personal behaviors and for organizations and communities to support good health through health promotion policies. The objective of this research was to compare public and private schools on…