Sensation seeking is a significant predictor of alcohol-related consequences among high school students. High school seniors report the highest prevalence rates of alcohol use and binge drinking among students in high school. Among high sensation-seeking students, higher rates of Protective Behavioral Strategies (PBS) use are associated with fewer…

Objective: To understand changes in romantic and sexual behavior among college and graduate students in North Carolina during COVID-19. Participants: Participants were between 18-30 years old and enrolled in a two- or four-year college or graduate program in North Carolina (n = 926). Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was administered to…

Objective: College students report high rates of alcohol use and negative alcohol-related consequences (ARC). Many studies document that protective behavioral strategy (PBS) use is negatively associated with ARC. Few studies examine consequence severity and PBS helpfulness, both of which may provide nuance to this relationship. Participants and…

Given that approximately 5% of the U.S. population is currently attending college, research is needed to better understand the language that college students use to describe alcohol recovery regardless of their current drinking behavior. College student perceptions of alcohol recovery are important, given that students may experience an alcohol…

African Americans (AAs) are disproportionately burdened with diabetes and prediabetes. Predominately AA churches may be optimal settings for reaching AAs at greatest diabetes risk, along with related morbidities and mortalities. The current study used the RE-AIM framework to qualitatively examine the feasibility, acceptability, and satisfaction…

Objective: The present study examined young adults' completion of the Web-based intervention content in a randomized trial that tested two Personalized Feedback Interventions (PFIs) for alcohol use and risky sex behavior (RSB). Method: Data are from a study that evaluated efficacy of two Web-delivered PFIs (combined PFI and integrated PFI) among…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) developed a public education campaign, The Real Cost, that reduced youth susceptibility to tobacco product use. We sought to identify the mechanisms that may underlie the impact of The Real Cost ads on susceptibility to vaping to inform youth tobacco prevention campaigns. Our online randomized controlled…

Study Purpose: This study was undertaken to establish if the Holistic Wellness Assessment (HWA) can detect intra-individual changes following a 12-week undergraduate course in holistic wellness (N = 235). Methods: A single-group pretest post-test non-experimental design was used to evaluate changes in the eight HWA factors; concurrent collection…

Limited research is available on the acceptability of comprehensive sex education for economically marginalized Black youth. The current evaluation study collected quantitative self-report data from 109 high-school-aged predominately Black or African American economically marginalized youth after completing a comprehensive sex education program.…

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of a harm reduction e-card at increasing protective drinking behaviors and decreasing negative outcomes from consuming alcohol. Participants: Participants were college students who turned 21 years old between January 21, 2016 and September 27, 2017. A total of 1,064 students completed the posttest: 737 from…

Background: The effects of COVID-19 on social mobility are still being recognized yet few studies have examined sex behavior and sexual risk during the pandemic. Methods: A random sample of 2000 undergraduate students at a mid-sized, public university in Ohio were sent an electronic survey in April 2021. A total of 293 completed surveys were…

The federal government funds grant programs designed to help youth avoid or reduce the risks associated with sexual initiation. In support of this approach, the Family and Youth Services Bureau within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) began funding General Departmental Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) grants in 2016. ACF…

Background: Surveillance colonoscopy 1-year after colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery effectively reduces CRC mortality, yet less than half of survivors undergo this procedure. Text message reminders can improve CRC screening and other health behaviors, but use of this strategy to address barriers to CRC surveillance has not been reported. Objectives:…

This study identifies new areas for risk-reduction strategies and research with regular cannabis users. Participants at a cannabis advocacy event in the Midwestern USA completed a survey including items from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Most participants (70%) reported using cannabis to treat a medical condition, though a…

Background: Few studies have examined 24-hour activity and sleep behaviors and their contribution to type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Latino adolescents and young adults with obesity. Aim: This study included quantitative data on T2D risk and 24-hour activity and sleep behaviors and qualitative data on individual, social, and environmental behavioral…