In a British Overseas territory, a smoking cessation program was implemented in 2014 and had not been evaluated since inception. The problem that was addressed in this study was that despite the implementation of the "I Can Quit" program, it was unknown which curriculum and instructional strategy interventions participants thought were…

Rheumatic diseases are known to be associated with the development of metabolic syndrome, which increases mortality rates due to cardiovascular complications. Although a variety of self-management programs for rheumatic diseases have been developed, few have concentrated on metabolic syndrome. This study aimed to develop and verify a blended (a…

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in Americans. Rural African American (AA) adults are disproportionately affected by CVD--a disease whose risk can be mitigated by a healthy diet and regular physical activity. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Living in Victory Everyday…

Many social systems, especially education, have an opportunity to significantly improve individual performance and well-being outcomes by attending to and including brain fitness as part of their approach. Brain fitness, like physical fitness, requires exercise. Brain-based "workout" activities improve cognitive development, and their…

The article proposes and illustrates a methodological framework that aligns with the action-research models and utopian methodology in particular, although it represents a more substantial leap forward, especially regarding the distributed nature of decision making in the different processes of research/intervention, and its multiple and…

Experiential learning is an essential process in the development of core social competencies. Unfortunately, adolescents with autism spectrum disorders often do not possess the prerequisite skillset and motivation to sustain the level of social immersion needed to benefit from this learning process. These persisting social vulnerabilities can…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore a formative intervention project that was developed for the Municipal Secretariat of Education in São Paulo, Brazil for the broad development of all levels of educational management (teacher educators, coordinators, principals, teachers and students). Thus, the creative chain of activities is a key…

What should grandparents be expected to learn in longevity societies experiencing rapid social transformation? Grounded theory was initially applied to identify assumptions, goals and curriculum. The Grandparent Strengths and Needs Inventory was developed to record the observations of grandparent attitudes and behaviours as seen by grandparents,…

Background: Community-based peer support may help meet the practical, emotional, and spiritual needs of African Americans with advanced cancer. Support teams are a unique model of peer support for persons facing serious illness, but research is rare. This study sought to (a) implement new volunteer support teams for African Americans with advanced…

This pilot study evaluated an innovative diabetes symptom awareness and self-management educational program for Mexican Americans, a fast growing minority population experiencing a diabetes epidemic. Patients with diabetes need assistance interpreting and managing symptoms, which are often annoying and potentially life-threatening. A repeated…

Purpose: Stigma and lack of access to providers create barriers to mental health treatment for older adults living in the community. In order to address these barriers, we developed and evaluated a peer support intervention for older adults receiving Medicaid services. Design and Methods: Reclaiming Joy is a mental health intervention that pairs…

This article is a description of a program that may be effective for reducing the aggressive behaviors of adults with intellectual disabilities. Data are presented in the form of a naturally occurring multiple baseline across two participants. Results suggest that an intervention anchored in teaching-family model (TFM) procedures was effective to…

Florida's children face the same health and welfare issues found in many other states. Changing family structure, growing poverty among families with young children, limited access to health and social services, an expanding immigrant population, and a tough state budget situation make focusing on children increasingly important for policymakers.…

Although the children in Texas face health and welfare issues common to other states, such as changing family structures, poverty, expanding immigrant populations, and tight budgets, there are unique aspects to Texas that must be factored in. These include having 254 counties, the largest rural population of any state, and a 46 percent increase in…

This report, the third annual publication of Iowa Kids Count, proposes that, by building upon effective system of support, and moving decision-making to the family and community level, solutions to the problems confronting today's youth can be found. The first section of this report summarizes the framework paper developed for the Kids Count…