Summarizes efforts to strengthen program evaluation capacity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reviews the circumstances that triggered an interest in building this capacity in public health and the principles and procedures used by the working group charged to achieve this goal. (Author/SLD)

Assessed data from the 1998 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to determine the prevalence of walking for physical activity and the proportions of walkers who met current public health physical activity recommendations. Results indicated that in 1998, approximately 38.6 percent of U.S. adults walked for physical activity. Less than 40…

Likens the situation in today's public health to war, recommending a military-style strategic plan that focuses on three concepts (ends, ways, and means), and suggesting that until these three are in balance, the best way for the United States to win a public health war is to focus on the enemy's center of gravity, prioritize ends, and apply…

Considers aspects of children's fevers. Answers questions concerning: (1) the temperature at which a fever is infectious; (2) the point at which a feverish child in care should be sent home; (3) the length of time a parent should wait before returning the child to day care; and (4) the way to take a child's temperature. (RJC)

Dry-chemistry cholesterol analysis has made screening feasible in a variety of settings. The article provides practical tips for the implementation of mass cholesterol screening using a portable dry-chemistry analyzer and discusses issues involved in conducting effective cholesterol screening programs from start to finish. (SM)

Defines home health nursing as meeting the acute and chronic care needs of patients and their families in the home environment. Offers examples of situations in which home health nurses find themselves and their reactions to them. (JOW)

Physical inactivity has emerged as a public health epidemic and is associated with the rising obesity rate. A multiple-treatments reversal design was utilized to test whether pedometer-aided self-monitoring and brief e-counseling could help 3 overweight adults increase their physical activity. Dependent measures were taken for pedometer steps and…

This study investigated the availability of printed human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) education/prevention materials from state departments of public health within the United States, which specifically targeted the older adult population. Information on HIV/AIDS from public health departments in each of…

During the past decade, prevalence of food allergies among children increased. Caring for children with life-threatening food allergies has become a major challenge for school personnel Prior to 2002, Massachusetts did not provide clear guidelines to assist schools in providing a safe environment for these children and preparing for an emergency…

Crystal methamphetamine (aka "crystal meth") use with high-risk sex has become an emerging health problem for gay and bisexual men in New York City since the late 1990s. Public health campaigns were eventually developed to encourage gay and bisexual men to avoid or reconsider using crystal meth. Reactions to three campaigns were measured…

The Community Health Aide Program (CHAP) is a unique program employing local, indigenous peoples as primary care nonphysician providers in extremely remote frontier, tribal Alaskan communities. With attrition rates up to 20%, recommendations for improving retention are necessary to maintain access to health services for Alaska Natives in these…

This document provides guidance to help decrease the spread of flu among students and school staff during the 2009-2010 school year. This document expands upon earlier school guidance documents by providing a menu of tools that school and health officials can choose from based on conditions in their area. It recommends actions to take this school…

Background: Wizards of Motion is a program of curriculum delivery through which experts in Kinesiology introduce grade 7 students to applications of physics for human movement. The program is linked closely to Ministry of Education curriculum requirements but includes human movement applications and data analysis experiences. Purpose: The purpose…

The SunSmart Schools Accreditation Programme (SSAP) was launched as a national programme in October 2005 to help reduce the risk of excessive child exposure to ultraviolet radiation. As part of the need for evaluation, this paper reports the findings of a national survey of a randomly selected sample of approximately 12% of New Zealand primary…

Communication of scientific and medical information and collaborative work are important skills for students pursuing careers in health professions and other biomedical sciences. In addition, group work and active learning can increase student engagement and analytical skills. Students in our public health microbiology class were required to work…