A New Zealand program was designed to reduce burn and scald hazards in the home. Seven groups of parents and caregivers of preschool children participated. Three months after the program, selected participants had sustained 68% of the positive practice changes they had made. Evaluation also noted barriers to participant change and strengths and…

In the past 5 years, the Center for Ecoliteracy's Food Systems Project has grown from one schoolyard garden to the complete reinvention of Child Nutrition Services throughout the Berkeley Unified School District. Using food as the organizing principle for systemic change, the project is devising a pattern of healthy food, improved academic…

Describes Safety Makes Sense, a multidimensional, school-based injury prevention initiative that integrates unintentional injury prevention into comprehensive school health education and is implemented by interdisciplinary teams within a coordinated school health program. The initiative integrates safety and music education and includes…

Describes a 4-year school-community health improvement project which addressed fragmentation and underutilization of services among at-risk students. Surveys of and focus groups with participants were used to develop a population profile, set health and safety priorities, and guide program planning. The project increased parental involvement in…

Preschool children in South Africa are adversely affected by poverty, child abuse, poor nutrition, insufficient primary health care, homelessness, violence, and inadequate funding for preprimary education. Positive signs include the establishment of a trust to support preschool education, an increase in the number of accredited educare courses,…

The National Commission on Adolescent Sexual Health developed a professional consensus statement about adolescent sexual health. Its report for policymakers recommends that adults face the facts about adolescent sexuality and that public policies on adolescent sexual health be based on appropriate knowledge, accurate data, current theory, ongoing…

Discusses safety issues for child care centers that provide transportation for children. Notes the importance of vehicle usage and control, driver qualifications, vehicle maintenance, child securement, accident procedures, and driver education and training. (JPB)

Provides an overview of efforts to change and revitalize physical education programs, needed to counter widespread childhood obesity and teach attitudes and skills for lifetime health and fitness. Lists objectives, recommended program characteristics, and current practices in five northwestern states. Profiles three high school programs that offer…

Recommends universal precautions policies and procedures to minimize for children and adults in early childhood settings the risk of infection from exposure to blood-borne pathogens such as hepatitis B or HIV. Outlines symptoms of hepatitis B and HIV/AIDS. Discusses legal and ethical implications related to inclusion. Lists resources for teachers…

Addresses intergenerational risk factors affecting individual growth. Discusses how risk factors occurring during a mother's own developmental history can affect the postnatal environment, and how an intergenerational approach can aid in understanding cognitive development. (Author/SD)

Presents information to assist early childhood educators in recognizing possible depression in young children, including intervention strategies. Specific information includes characteristics of depressive disorders, indicators during social interactions and play, physical indicators, and risk factors. Suggests communication, consultation,…

This 1978 paper provides school nurses with a conceptual framework for structuring their practice. In discussing each of the five concepts, the paper presents a definition, a rationale for its inclusion, and examples illustrating its applicability to school nursing practice. The five concepts are: public health, adaptation, helping relationships,…

Most research on access to health care focuses on individual-level determinants such as income and insurance coverage. The role of community-level factors in helping or hindering individuals in obtaining needed care, however, has not received much attention. We address this gap in the literature by examining how neighborhood socioeconomic…

Children in foster care face poverty, family dysfunction, neglect, and abuse, with high rates of chronic health, emotional, and developmental problems. This study compared the overall health status of a group of children entering foster care with a group of Medicaid-eligible children living with their parents, matched for age and gender. It…

Physical educators can play a significant role in promoting active lifestyles and lifelong fitness. Unfortunately, many physical education programs face the challenges of time limitations, affordability, and professional commitment. The purpose of this article is to describe a stretch-band fitness program offered to sixth-grade students. The…