This descriptive paper presents the model of the Brazilian Universities of the Third Age (U3A). In a country with 208 million inhabitants and accelerated population aging, U3A's set of regular courses, lectures, workshops and group dynamics serve as a low-cost and high-efficacy strategy that promotes lifelong education and social integration.…

Black gay/bisexual male youth are one of the groups most affected by HIV in the United States, but few behavioral interventions have been created specifically to address this health inequity. Oppression related to these youths' multiple social identities--including racism, heterosexism, and HIV stigma--contribute to increased health risks. Primary…

Background: The health of children is undeniably important. Especially with the soaring epidemic of childhood overweight and obesity, physical health is a large concern. Emotional health is also an area of great significance, because it is essential to overall health. Children's health promotion interventions have been developed and implemented;…

Introduction: African women who migrate to the USA have a rich tradition of using herbs and spices to promote health. We conducted formative research on nutritional practices among East and North African women in the USA, focusing on whether traditional herbs and spices could support adherence to the "Dietary Guidelines for Americans."…

School-based physical education (PE) is the most efficient and cost-effective means of increasing girls' physical activity. Therefore, this project used a health club (HC) approach to alter a high school PE experience for 17 grade nine girls (M age = 14.6 ± 0.49). As part of a larger mixed-methods study, this qualitative element gauged adolescent…

The purpose of this thesis was to write a grant for Paramount Unified School District in California to implement a curriculum on child abuse prevention for students in grades kindergarten through 5th grade (K-5) based upon the evidence-based HealthSmart curriculum. This educational initiative will focus on child sexual abuse prevention and will be…

Use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) is quickly growing in the United States, despite the unknown health implications and unregulated device contents. Although research is emerging around e-cigs in general, there continues to be a lack of scientific evidence regarding the safety and risks of e-cig use on maternal and fetal health, even though…

We compared the effectiveness of a "stepped care" approach with increasing treatment intensity ("Step Care") to one with repeated treatments ("Recycle") among cigarette smokers interested in quitting smoking. Step 1 of the Step Care intervention consisted of a single counseling session, nicotine patch for six weeks…

Death can be considered a social taboo, a common source of fear and public avoidance. School communities are not immune to this, as the topic of death is constantly avoided. It is vital to understand how we can socially and culturally cultivate a positive regard for death, dying and bereavement in our school communities. Community members need to…

Purpose/Objectives: Schools are offering more fruits and vegetables; yet consumption of fruits and vegetables among adolescents remains low. Many schools are implementing Farm-to-School programs to help generate excitement and increase selection of fruits and vegetables by students. The purpose of this research was to determine if a simple tasting…

First sex marks a significant transition for most adolescents, yet teens often report that it was unplanned. Seventy-four college students participated in exploratory focus groups about their first sex. Although initially asked whether their first sex was spontaneous or planned, many participants revealed evidence of forethought or anticipation,…

Student engagement represents a critical component of a comprehensive school health (CSH) approach to health promotion. Nevertheless, questions remain about its implementation. This scoping review updates the field of student engagement in health promotion. Of the 1,388 located articles, 14 qualify for inclusion in this study. An analysis reveals…

Academic integrity policies at 200 institutions of higher education (IHE's) were examined for the presence of academic prohibitions against the nonmedical use of prescription stimulants (NMUPS) or any other cognitive enhancing drug (CED). Researchers used online search tools to locate policy handbooks in a stratified random sample of IHE's drawn…

The purpose of this study was to determine Pennsylvania principals' perceptions and understanding of the physical and psychosocial impact of childhood obesity, whether they believe schools should be addressing the issue, who they feel should be leading efforts within schools, what actions they believe are taking place to address the issue within…

Extension educators today face several challenges in designing, delivering, and evaluating programs. Achieving successful program outcomes is becoming increasingly difficult. Educators must choose amongst a wide variety of technology and delivery methods, all while facing resource constraints such as cost, time, and materials. Educators require a…