A telephone survey was administered to residents of a historically conservative southern state to assess resident's level of support for comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in schools and support for the availability of condoms and contraception to reduce unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. Data were obtained from 841…

Background: There is limited research examining both use and nonuse of trails for physical activity. Purpose: Such research might enable health educators to better promote physical activity on trails.Methods:We used random digit dialing methods to survey 726 respondents in 2012. Results: The majority (75.1%) of respondents reported not using the…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to research teachers' attrition in a central South Carolina school district by analyzing the experiences of 5 former teachers in the district. Highly qualified teachers are needed to educate students who come from diverse backgrounds. Unfortunately, many qualified teachers leave the…

The purposes of this study were to (a) derive prevalence estimates for elder mistreatment (emotional, physical, sexual, neglectful, and financial mistreatment of older adults [age 60 +]) in a randomly selected sample of South Carolinians; (b) examine correlates (i.e., potential risk factors) of mistreatment; and (c) examine incident…

This research clarifies the public support of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in terms of acceptance, content, timing, and effectiveness as it may inform practice in the United States. The historical context of public opinion, as well as a summary of the efficacy of abstinence only education (AOE) versus CSE in the scientific literature,…

The purpose of this study was to assess community attitudes toward school-based abstinence-plus sexuality education. A dual sampling approach of landlines and cell phones resulted in 988 adults from two counties completing "The South Carolina Survey of Public Opinion on Pregnancy Prevention." Among respondents, 87.1% supported…

This dissertation examined perceptions of superintendents, principals and teachers about South Carolina's Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test or the Palmetto Assessment of State Standards testing program. A systemic sample of 729 superintendents, principals, and teachers were selected to participate in the study. A survey was emailed to the…

Theory-driven, mass media interventions prevent smoking among youth. This study examined effects of a media campaign on adolescent smoking cessation. Four matched pairs of media markets in four states were randomized to receive or not receive a 3-year television/radio campaign aimed at adolescent smoking cessation based on social cognitive theory.…

Data from 6,472 South Carolina residents aged over 55 years support the reliability of S. Katz's Activities of Daily Living scale when data are collected by self-report telephone interview. Results indicate that telephone interview methods are a fast, inexpensive, and safe way to collect data for research and policy formation. (SLD)