Historically, religion and spirituality have been major influences in the social, cultural, and political lives of African Americans. Spirituality is deeply embedded into their rich cultural heritage, and it is intertwined into all aspects of their life, including beliefs about health and illness. For African Americans, health and illness are a…

This article discusses the findings of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) that were conducted as a formative assessment for Project MYTRI (Mobilizing Youth for Tobacco Related Initiatives in India), a randomized, multicomponent, school-based trial to prevent and control tobacco use among youth in India. Forty-eight FGDs were conducted with students (N…

Theories of health behavior posit that change is accomplished by modifying factors deemed as mediators. A set of mediators from several theoretical models used in sexual risk reduction programs was assessed among a sample of 522 African American female adolescents. The goal was to determine whether self-esteem was associated with sexually…

Increasing numbers of young people use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for education, work and leisure activities. Research on ICT and Upper Limb Disorders (ULDs) in adults has shown that functional impairment, pain and discomfort in the upper limbs, neck and shoulder increases with frequency and duration of exposure to computer…

In China, men who have sex with men (MSM) are at high risk for HIV. However, little is known about their HIV testing behavior. From September 2001 to January 2002, we recruited 482 men through social networks and MSM venues. We conducted HIV testing and counseling, and anonymous, standardized face-to-face interviews. Eighty-two percent of…

We proposed to integrate cognitive and social factors in the study of unprotected commercial sex. Data from 159 female entertainment workers from 15 establishments in Shanghai who reported commercial sex in the month prior to interview were used to test the approach. Two-sample t tests and multivariate logistic regression were conducted to examine…

In this article, we describe the Set the P.A.C.E.! (Parents And Children Empowered) curriculum designed for mothers of children 6-12 years of age. The development of the curriculum was part of a research study to test an intervention to enhance the mother's role in promoting resilience among 6- to 12-year-old children and to reduce the risk of…

Most of what we know about sexual abuse comes from efforts to examine female children victimized by men. Although some researchers have identified similarities between male and female victims of sexual abuse, few studies have examined gender-specific factors associated with sexual health practices among homeless adolescents. The aim of this study…

This publication reports on a pilot program on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and life skills training implemented in 12 schools in Pretoria, Laudium, Cape Town, and Soweto (South Africa). Data were collected through pre- and post-questionnaires and focus group interviews. The purpose of the program was to provide adolescents with…

This paper compares information obtained from two surveys of school students. The national Youth2000 survey and the local Whatuora investigation contribute complementary quantitative data on the characteristics and behaviour of young people in New Zealand. As well, there are particular insights about students who are at risk and questions are…

A NATIONWIDE STUDY OF HEALTH INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES AND THE HEALTH BEHAVIOR OF STUDENTS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS WAS PARTIALLY COMPLETED IN 1963, AT WHICH TIME A COMPREHENSIVE, DESCRIPTIVE VOLUME WAS PUBLISHED. THIS BOOKLET SUMMARIZES THE FINDINGS. SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES DEVELOPED FOR THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY GRADES OBTAINED INFORMATION ON…

Intended to inform policymaking in the public and private sectors, this booklet compiles secondary data for 59 health status indicators. The book provides both graphical and textual summaries of data and addresses long-term trends where applicable. Data are presented for the target populations of Title V funding: infants, children, adolescents,…

To examine changes in tobacco use among high school students in Alabama from 1995 to 1999, Alabama Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS) survey data were analyzed. The survey has been used since 1990 to examine the health practices of adolescents and to monitor priority health-risk behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of…

Two studies investigated 10th-grade students' health attitudes and practices related to cardiovascular risk. A survey determined students' perceptions of their families' health practices and needs and students' confidence in their ability to modify parents' behavior. The Heart Health Test Telecast (April 1980) was used to stimulate parent-child…

Research confirms a direct link between student health risk behavior and education outcomes, education behaviors, and student attitudes. This article discusses barriers to comprehensive school health programming; summarizes relevant information concerning several health-risk behaviors (intentional injuries, diet, physical activity, sexual-risk…