Gun violence is a significant public health issue. The U.S. has more than one mass shooting a day in which four or more people are injured or killed. However, mass shootings are only the tip of the iceberg of gun violence. Among developed nations, the U.S. is an outlier in both gun possession and gun deaths. Gun deaths affect not only the victim…

There is a growing concern among scientists and educators alike that we are failing in our mission to demonstrate the importance of science and of the scientific method and hypothesis testing. We discuss the alarming rise of misinformation, particularly on the Internet, and the inability of readers, particularly students, to decipher real, valid…

Using Smoke-Free and Tobacco-Free policies on college and university campuses as an example this article discusses these initiatives in the context of the role of health educators and health education programs. Issues raised are ones that health educators need to consider in any intervention effort. While the importance of intervention is well…

The purpose of this paper is to update and enhance the 1989 Association for Health Education (AAHE) Scholar presentation, "Reflections on Directions in Health Education: Implications for Policy and Practice," at the American Association for Health Education (AAHE) National Convention in Boston. It describes and complements the notion of…

Health care has been an ongoing issue of public concern for decades, well before President Obama took office. Passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, in March 2010 and upheld by a Supreme Court in June 2012. With Republicans now in control of both the House and Senate as well as the presidency, the ACA in its current…

Name changes of university departments that have professional preparation health education programs have been ongoing and significant. This study analyzes changes in the names of health education degree-offering departments between 1974 and 2009. It also discusses the implications for the health education discipline going forward with respect to…

The author discusses the emergence of multivariate statistical methods, presents selected methods (functional and structural) and their applications, and discusses some practical guidelines and limitations concerning their use in health research. (MJB)

The purpose of this study was to replicate the Notaro, O'Rourke, and Eddy study to rank doctoral programs in health education, incorporating comments from professionals in health education to enhance the ranking study methods. This study used a multiple set of variables weighted by scholars and leaders in the field of health education. These…

For the purposes of this study, a test-retest method of determining reliability was utilized. Results indicated that the instrument appears to be reliable in assessing attitudes-beliefs toward smoking. (Author)

The planning of a three-week, travel-study course in health education involved the determination of educational goals, setting a time framework, developing foreign contacts, structuring an itinerary, securing student participation and funding, conducting pre-trip orientation, and coordinating study results after the trip. (MB)

Identifies significant limitations found in research on smoking behavior including the lack of common definitions of various behaviors, honesty of subject response, the lack of prospective studies, and the preponderance of univariate types of analyses. Presented at the 10th International Conference on Health Education in London, September 1979.…

A total of 195 university students were included in this study with an approximately equal representation of male and female students. One group received a drug education course and the other served as a control. Similar findings were evidenced for both groups. Results indicated that certain programs and individuals were perceived as being more…

The major purpose of this investigation was to assess the effectiveness of the revised edition of the New York State Curriculum Guide with respect to the affective domain dealing with the drug topic. Analysis revealed that the program seemed to be effective for males but not females. (Author)

A national survey of 427 Association for the Advancement of Health Education (AAHE) members, was performed to establish a baseline satisfaction level, provide insight on needed services, and explore possible future directions for the association. Results are reported, and implications for long range association goals are discussed. (IAH)