Describes the "Unpuffables Program" in which two states tested receptivity to and feasibility of a smoking prevention activity package for fourth through sixth graders and parents. High awareness and participation rates were seen, and "Unpuffables" provided an opportunity to discuss smoking at home, motivating smokers to…

The Texas Comprehensive School Health (CSH) Initiative assessed the status of CSH programs in seven public school districts using a case study approach. Results indicated considerable support for CSH programs but little coordination of programs. The districts were overwhelmed with other health responsibilities, so CSH programing was not a…

Three articles help practitioners better understand exercise behavior motivation, providing guidelines and techniques for motivating children, adults, and older adults to adopt physically active lifestyles. The articles offer pertinent exercise motivation concepts and show how the concepts can be used to help people of all ages exercise regularly.…

The article describes morale, welfare, and recreation programs and activities developed by professionally trained civilians for U.S. service personnel stationed in the Persian Gulf. Army, Navy, and Marine service personnel responded overwhelmingly to programs that allowed them to stay physically fit, participate in activities, write, draw, and…

Concepts of formative and process evaluation are discussed, and their applications in health promotion and disease prevention are reviewed. Process evaluation fulfills the need for information on program implementation, whereas formative evaluation aims to help develop and improve programs from an early stage. Both evaluations can increase program…

Describes a 1990 United Nations summit on children's rights. Examines problems facing children worldwide and the relationship of children's rights to environmental concerns and education. Discusses efforts of the World Organization for Early Childhood Education (OMEP) to implement summit resolutions, highlighting projects of four OMEP National…

Commentary is provided on the role of celebrities as media advocates for health education, particularly in light of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic. It is suggested that the media advocacy approach offers greater effectiveness to celebrity messages in stimulating health policy improvements. (GLR)

Observations of 157 fifth graders in 20 elementary schools in Texas during physical education indicate that only 8.5% of class time was spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity, with 68.1% in sedentary activity. Observed activity is substantially lower than that recommended in national health objectives. (SLD)

This issue on preventive health care and health promotion for older adults includes 14 articles on history and definition, development of guidelines, responsibility, implementation of programs for the elderly and how it differs from that for other populations, programs for minorities, access to health care information, and a description of a…

Two nationally recognized wellness programs have become the prototype in wellness education: Ball State University and Tilford Middle School in Vinton (Iowa). Ball State's assessment data on over 3,000 students revealed that almost all the physical variables examined showed significant improvement between pre- and posttest results. (MLF)

A high level of work-related and recreational noise has led to a high prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss in rural students. Teachers can help prevent this problem by integrating hearing conservation education with existing curricula. Educators could be trained about hearing conservation by professional audiologists. (LP)

What individuals do during leisure time significantly affects illness, disease, and longevity. Leisure studies and services can offer much to the understanding of health and the provision of health services. The article notes that the tendency to separate leisure and health within the physical education and recreation curricula is dysfunctional.…

Describes Florida's "Fit to Achieve," a cardiovascular fitness education program for elementary students. Children are taught responsibility for their own cardiovascular fitness through proper exercise, personal exercise habits, and regular aerobic exercise. The program stresses collaborative effort between physical educators and…

Describes the development of a measure of self-perceived abilities to implement various health promoting behaviors, reporting on a study of the psychometric properties of the measure in three samples. Results suggest the measure demonstrates adequate reliability and demonstrates predicted relationships with other health measures. (SM)

A study of 78 women in Tilzapotla, a small Mexican town with an unusually strong commitment to education, examined decontextualized language and literacy skills related to oral and reading comprehension of health information and to speaking skills during a health interview. Length of schooling was related to most skills, but all measured skills…