This report presents an evaluation of the HealthWorks! Kids' Museum, an urban education center designed to help children in grades preK-8 understand and make good choices about healthy living and lifestyle choices. It includes an exhibit floor and interactive classroom areas with a program highlighting how body systems work; a game challenging the…

This article discusses issues related to body image in adolescents, explaining what school practitioners can do to encourage lifelong healthy habits that enhance body image. Body image is the picture of physical self carried in the mind's eye. This impression can have little resemblance to how a teen actually looks. Body image culturalization is…

Despite increased attention given to alcohol use and its negative consequences on college campuses, national data indicates that there have been only small decreases in levels of alcohol consumption for over two decades. This guide describes how one university was able to decrease heavy drinking on campus by 29.2% during a four-year period. Their…

Twenty-first century contagious diseases require more than basic health lessons to prevent transmission. This Digest examines ways to prevent disease transmission in school settings. Section 1 discusses key concepts in contagion education: all people are potentially contagious; germs that cause diseases are present on many parts of the body; hand…

A study was conducted of active adult learners in England to determine what impact, if any, there has been on their health as a result of learning. Data were obtained through a questionnaire mailed to 2,000 persons and 750 groups nominated for an Adult Learners' Week Award during 1998 and 1999. Provisions were made for sight-impaired respondents.…

This newsletter highlights the importance of strength training in keeping older adults healthy and fit, explaining how it can forestall declines in strength and muscle mass, along with their attendant negative impact upon other metabolic functions and activities of daily living. Physical inactivity is common throughout the nation. Approximately 11…

The mentoring of youth by adults has been identified as one of the more promising program approaches to promoting positive youth outcomes. This synthesis examines the role that mentoring plays in helping youth develop a broad array of strengths and capacities related to: (1) education and cognitive attainment; (2) health and safety; (3) social and…

This paper examines the effectiveness of a universal school-based prevention program designed to increase coping resources in preadolescents through the modeling and teaching of optimistic thinking skills in response to real and hypothetical events. Six classroom teachers implemented the program in grades five and six within the regular school…

This report describes some models for effective community-wide cooperation in AIDS prevention and education for African American youth. Since 1994, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies has hosted forums around the country to provide information to black public officials about HIV/AIDS prevention education in schools. Forums in…

This guide provides information in English, Bosnian, Russian, Spanish, and Nuer on family planning. Topics covered include a variety of birth control methods: abstinence, condoms, contraceptive foam, birth control pills, the Depo-Provera shot, the Norplant implant, diaphragms, intrauterine devices, natural family planning, sterilization, and the…

This booklet addresses the growing importance of health in adult learning and the interest in joint action. Section 1 describes the context, one in which substantial, but unevenly spread, progress has been made in improving global health. Section 2 examines the social aspects of health and explains how what is defined as health or sickness depends…

Eight local education funds (LEFs) assessed the level of local school health programs and created plans to establish or enhance comprehensive school health education programs. In 1995, six sites received 3-year implementation grants. In 1999-00, five sites received funds for assessing community capacity to address and sustain commitments to…

The Student Health Initiative is a joint initiative of the Canadian provincial government partners of Education, Health, Family, and Social Services; the Alberta Mental Health Board; the Child and Family Services Secretariat; and Community Development. The initiative is designed to strengthen the capacity to deliver health and related support…

This brief discusses the intersection of health services and education. After introducing the topic of health services within the educational context, the brief discusses coordinated school health programs, defining such programs and offering examples of the programs in practice. The brief then discusses health education and risk behaviors,…

This computer game is designed to provide awareness of misconceptions of health risks, insight into basic concepts of risk assessment and perception, and health and safety tips for everyday activities, and to encourage injury prevention. Contents include: (1) "Classroom Guide Contents," which lists resources such as teacher reference notes,…