Describes the geology of the radon problem in the United States and suggests how homeowners can cope with the radio active gas. Vignettes illustrate how and where radon is produced beneath the earth's surface, testing sites and procedures for radon in houses, and locations for potential radon problems across the United States. (MCO)

Although medical education changes in response to advances in biological sciences and technology, changes in public health and attitudes outside medicine may have even more impact on medical education. Medical students need a foundation in both natural and social sciences to deal with the complex interrelationships between social and physical…

The article makes health educators aware of issues raised by a move from anonymous to confidential HIV testing. It examines implications of contact tracing and notification and of reporting requirements that identify HIV-positive persons to public health departments. Implications for health education professionals responsible for HIV test…

This study investigated the feasibility of broadening the traditional infant health focus of the Australian Maternal and Child Health Nurse or Public Health Nurse to encompass maternal emotional and social well-being to identify maternal depression and prevent child abuse. Conditions under which mothers would find this role expansion acceptable…

Recommendations are made for improving pharmacy education and practice concerning sterile products. Suggestions address curriculum and program design needs for each of these groups: pharmacy faculty; undergraduate and graduate students; pharmacy practitioners; pharmacy technicians; and production technicians. (MSE)

The success of appeals for increased measures of traffic safety, and how much a community is ready to pay for safety, depend in part on conventional ceilings on risks to life and limb the community is ready to bear. Safety campaigns must appeal both to self-interest and self-esteem. (AF)

For the purposes of identifying contaminants, of assessing risks, and of determining critical food processing control points, hazard analyses were conducted at two "bento" (oriental boxed meals) catering operations. Time and temperature abuses during the holding period, after cooking and prior to consumption, were found to be the primary…

Samples from five water sources (spring, borehole, pond, stream, and well) in rural Nigerian communities were tested. Results include source reliabilities in terms of water quality and quantity, pollution effects upon water quality, epidemiological effects related to water quantity and waste disposal, and impact of water quality improvement upon…

Describes Healthy People 2000, national health objectives designed to guide health promotion and disease prevention policy and programs throughout the 1990s. The article provides the context for compilation of Healthy People 2000 objectives relating to school health detailed in subsequent articles in this issue. (SM)

Provides health-related information in response to questions about whether children should go barefoot in child care settings and what precautions caregivers should follow when pets or other animals are present in child care facilities. (BB)

Tests social cognitive hypotheses that self-efficacy can be enhanced more effectively by symbolically modeling risk reduction information and by encouraging its cognitive rehearsal than by the presentation of risk reduction alone. Confirms hypotheses at both posttest and follow-up. (PA)

This report considers potential effects of the 1986 nuclear explosion at the Chernobyl (Ukraine) nuclear reactor. Approximately 17 million people, of whom 2.5 million were below the age of 5, are thought to have suffered some radioactive contamination. Many of these children are at high risk for mental retardation and learning disorders.…

Discusses the use of integrated pest management to foster a safe school environment free from pesticides. This effective, environmentally sound system minimizes human exposure and reduces the toxicity of materials used to control pests. Parents, teachers, and students can educate themselves to improve school pest control practices. (SM)

Describes pilot test of survey of grocery store product displays to measure the amount of health education information provided and the proportion of the display devoted to "healthier" products. Finds that inter-rate reliability ranged between 0.73 and 0.78 for the healthiness indices and between 0.30 and 0.67 for the health education measures.…

Designed by a leading public health administrator, the Violence Prevention Curriculum for Adolescents tries to raise teens' violence threshold by creating a nonviolent classroom ethos and extending students' repertoire of responses to anger. An ideal schoolwide program teaches social skills and features peer-mentoring and conflict resolution…