Social dynamics of health issues facing today's adolescents are discussed, with attention to the Year 2000 Health Objectives of the Public Health Service. Research on the social context of the adolescent must consider what can be learned from the resilient child who develops well in the face of adversity. (SLD)

Physical development should be classified using a multidimensional hierarchical model. Optimal physical development combines physical fitness and skill development. The paper discusses the history of physical fitness, hierarchical nature of fitness, and specificity of fitness, stressing the need for collaboration in facilitating optimal…

A survey of 97 medical schools found 65 percent offer instruction in patient health education and 74 percent offer instruction in community health promotion. A number of departments participate, and diverse methods of instruction and evaluation are used. Respondents favored such instruction but identified time constraints as an obstacle.…

Statistical approaches to assess how prevention and intervention programs achieve their effects are described and illustrated through the evaluation of a health promotion program to reduce dietary cholesterol and a school-based drug prevention program. Analyses require the measurement of intervening or mediating variables to represent the…

Describes four Australian initiatives in community health education: (1) Newtown Community Psychology Centre; (2) Association of Drug Referral Centres; (3) Society for Health Promotion; and (4) Health and Human Relations Exchange. (SK)

A wellness program is a formalized approach to preventive health care that can positively affect employee lifestyle and reduce future health-care costs. Describes programs for health education, smoking cessation, early detection, employee assistance, and fitness, citing industry success figures. (eight references) (MLF)

Describes the Theme Months concept implemented at Grand Valley State University to coordinate the delivery of educational programs for students. Concept incorporates health issues (sexuality, alcohol and drugs, and wellness) and several other topics (career development, academic skills, and respect for individual differences) into a student life…

This article describes the goals, development, implementation, evaluation, and learning outcomes associated with the Multicultural Community Health Coalition Project at San Jose State University (CA). (IAH)

Provides an overview of professions working in multidisciplinary health promotion and disease prevention efforts, focusing on medical specialties, public health, behavioral medicine, health psychology, health education, and health behavior. Major challenges general to all the fields include reimbursement, priorities, professional preparation,…

Presents information about body composition assessment, including how useful the measurement is, how to conduct assessment, accurate skinfold measurement, body mass index versus skinfold results, interpreting results, standards for score interpretation, other types of measurement, how to approach skinfold assessment, and handling sensitivity and…

Highlights some ethical issues that have begun to receive attention in health education and argues for greater emphasis on ethical dimensions in public health policies. Using selected moral principles, the article examines issues of individual responsibility, biases in interventions, societal obsessions with health, and the role of the health…

Practices essential in school health education include targeting priority health behaviors, scheduling sufficient programing to elicit change, providing a health promotion model, addressing commonalities of skills, choosing appropriate instructional methods, soliciting student and parent involvement, providing diverse interventions, integrating…

The school-age population is very much at risk of being affected by AIDS. As a result, school counselors must become active participants in the war against AIDS. In order to accomplish this goal, counselors need current information about the illness. Article provides a thorough knowledge base concerning HIV/AIDS and makes counselors aware of…

Investigated the effectiveness of strategies to maximize cohort retention in a longitudinal evaluation of a middle school human immunodeficiency virus/sexually transmitted disease prevention intervention. Retention rates of 80 percent at 6 months and 73 percent at 18 months were achieved. This required joint, proactive problem solving at the…

Describes selection criteria based on theory, research, and best educational practice that identify key social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies and program features for promoting students' mental health and reducing risk behaviors. Program features critical to the success of school-based SEL programs emphasize curriculum design,…