Only 25 percent of Americans participate in recommended levels of physical activity, despite the health benefits associated with physical activity. Physical activity promotion is an important public health issue. Several research studies indicate that physical activity interventions using theoretical frameworks such as the Stages of Motivational…

This workshop, written in both English and Spanish, focuses on improving communication between physician and patient. In the workshop, the trainers will talk about "building bridges" between patient and doctor by understanding the doctor's role and his/her duty to the patient. According to the workshop, a person's doctor should…

This study examined the effect of food assistance on the dietary patterns of households in South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Data was collected from 6,969 participants in the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and 3,552 participants in the Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program (FSNEP). EFNEP and FSNEP teach low-income…

By envisioning adolescence as an ideal time to promote good physical health, it is possible to save lives and set in motion a lifetime of good health outcomes. To identify programs that promote health, this brief summarizes experimental studies of health-related behaviors, and reviews more than 230 research studies to identify factors associated…

Social norming campaigns that work to show the disparity between students' perceptions of campus drinking and actual levels of drinking have proven to be successful in reducing alcohol use by college students. The premise of social norming is that human behavior is greatly influenced by perceptions of the population from which acceptance is…

This meta analysis summarizes the available data concerning the impact that the 1991 announcement of Earvin "Magic" Johnson, a National Basketball Association all-star, had on the issues concerning HIV infection and testing. The analysis notes that the effect of Johnson's disclosure may not be uniform for all possible outcomes. Some…

This report presents data on Hispanic Americans, one of the nation's largest racial minorities. Hispanics have had much lower high school completion rates and higher dropout rates than blacks and whites since the 1970s. Hispanic high school students are more likely to carry weapons and more likely to become pregnant than black and white students.…

Smokers are increasingly stigmatized in our society. Pressures to limit public smoking have mounted, and there is evidence of discrimination against smokers in the workplace. This study examined how current smokers, former smokers, and nonsmokers were differentially characterized by students drawn from a suburban high school and college. Students…

This paper proposes embedding various positive psychology themes in the context of an undergraduate course on the psychology of personal adjustment. The specific positive psychology constructs considered include those of hope, optimism, perseverance, humility, forgiveness, and spirituality. These themes are related to appropriate course content…

This paper is designed to inform program managers and others who are interested in learning more about human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and infant feeding but who are not necessarily familiar with all of the technical issues in either of these fields. The paper reviews the major advances in the study of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and…

Social learning theory provides a complex scientific foundation for health education and can be used to improve health education research and practice. This foundation includes proven cognitive and behavioral constructs and techniques for promoting health behavior changes. (JN)

Reports the development of two nutrition behavior scales (for grades 2-3 and grades 4-6) given to 3,107 students from 129 schools nationwide. Results indicated significant nutrition knowledge gaps among students and identified several groups with excess knowledge gaps. The instrument appeared appropriate for most of the U.S. population. (SM)

Investigated AOD (alcohol and other drug) use among social workers, examined its potential negative professional consequences and explored the denial that may facilitate AOD abuse. Results are reported from an anonymous survey of 751 NASW members in North Carolina. Research and practice implications for social workers, supervisors, and the…

Investigated whether 9th graders' participation in school team sports, exclusively or in combination with other extracurricular activities, would relate to higher levels of psychological functioning and healthy behavior than participation in other extracurricular activities alone or nonparticipation. Participants in any type of extracurricular…

Investigated the association between 13 health risk and protective factors and reporting two or more lifetime sexual intercourse partners and non-condom use for last coitus among rural high school students. Data from the 1999 Youth Risk Behavior Survey highlighted important relationships between prior sexual behavior, sexual and physical abuse,…