Summarizes a case study that examines how art assists in the healing process of a person suffering from a life-threatening illness. Takes a qualitative approach to illustrate the participant's engagement with art in self-healing. Demonstrates how art can illuminate insights that emerge from the experiences of a critical illness, and how it can…

Discusses obstacles involved in the routine clinical practice for type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, a disease associated with serious complications and co-morbidity. States that educating patients to take an active role in their care by changing their diet and habits is a challenge to health care educators. Lists tools patients will need to learn to help…

Introduces special issue that collectively presents a substance abuse prevention approach that is part of a program called Prevention Engineering. The model emphasizes the measurement of indicators of substance abuse problems, particularly with marijuana use. Articles include topics on epidemiology; evidence of the harmful and helpful uses of…

Explores the infusion of health education into a school-wide advisory program by developing or redesigning existing advisories to emphasize life skills training and health care. Considers ways health educators can participate in advisory programs. (JPB)

Public health, city planning, and transportation officials can work toward reducing the public health burden of physical inactivity by promoting the integration of walking and bicycling into daily routines. The paper discusses urban design challenges, promotion of walking and bicycling, and the importance of physical activity for children.…

Forty medical students were randomly assigned to write about personal traumatic events or control topics during the course of the program. Participants in the emotional expression group showed significantly higher antibody levels against hepatitis B at the four- and six-month follow-up. This finding provides further support for a link between…

Discusses the current status of immunizations, the latest immunization recommendations, and the important role of school nurses in ensuring that all students are properly immunized with the correct immunizations at the correct time. An alphabetical listing of immunizations provides specific details. The paper also discusses myths versus facts…

Compared groups of colleges where students' binge drinking either increased or decreased over 2 years of campus prevention efforts. More institutions reported decreases than increases. Certain kinds of prevention programs appeared to work. Important characteristics of effective programs included changing the campus social environment, using…

Used national telephone survey data to examine associations between adults' fruit and vegetable consumption and awareness of "5 A Day for Better Health," stage of change, taste preferences, self-efficacy, and perceived benefits, barriers, threats, social support, and norms regarding fruit and vegetable consumption. Strong associations…

Reviewed clinical- and cost-effectiveness studies, including quasi-experimental studies, of comprehensive, multifactorial worksite health promotion programs. Searching such sources as MEDLINE, ERIC, and ADI identified 15 studies. Results suggest that providing individualized risk reduction for high- risk employees within the context of…

Explains techniques for reducing stress: diaphragmatic breathing, relaxation, progressive muscle relaxation, and meditation. Two sidebars define the fight-or-flight response and the camp administration's role in helping to lower stress through staff training and reduction of camp-wide stressors. (SAS)

Describes the Florida Tobacco Pilot Program, a focused anti-tobacco initiative that uses youth advocacy training to accomplish its goals. The paper examines several of the Florida Tobacco Pilot Program's youth-related activities, which are designed to empower participating teens to be successful in resisting tobacco products. (SM)

There is limited literature that focuses on the role of social workers in the care of children who fail to thrive (FTT), but this situation is about to change with the current use of an interdisplinary approach to health care. This paper educates social workers about this condition and addresses the role they can take in treating these children.…

By facilitating active participation in treatment, coordinating services, and maximizing community resources, schools can help adolescents build a strong foundation for lifelong diabetes management. This paper presents an overview of intensive diabetes therapy, psychosocial implications of chronic illness in adolescence, the effects of chronic…

Presents key principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR), discussing the rationale for its use; providing policy recommendations at the organizational, community, and national levels aimed at advancing the application of CBPR; and emphasizing the establishment of policies to enhance equity that would both increase the engagement of…