Public Health Commons^™

Initial Impact Of Tailored Web-Based Messages About Cigarette Smoke And Breast Cancer Risk On Boys' And Girls' Risk Perceptions And Information Seeking: Randomized Controlled Trial, Chris G. Richardson, Laura L. Struik, Kenneth C. Johnson, Pamela A. Ratner, Carolyn Gotay, Jasmina Memetovic, Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli, Joan L. Bottorff

Nursing Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence indicates a causal link between both active smoking and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure and breast cancer (BC).

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the initial reactions of girls and boys to tailored Web-based messages that describe the relationship between SHS and BC, using a parallel, single-blinded cluster randomized controlled trial.

METHODS: This trial was nested within a cycle of an ongoing longitudinal study of 1498 students from 74 secondary schools. Self-reported assessments were used to evaluate the impact of study messages on participants' risk perception and interest in obtaining additional information after participants …

Averting Uncertainty: A Practical Guide To Physical Activity Research In Australian Schools, Jerome N. Rachele, Thomas F. Cuddihy, Tracy L. Washington, Steven M. Mcphail

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Preventative health has become central to contemporary health care, identifying youth physical activity as a key factor in determining health and functioning. Schools offer a unique research setting due to distinctive methodological circumstances. However, school-based researchers face several obstacles in their endeavour to complete successful research investigations; often confronted with complex research designs and methodological procedures that are not easily amenable to school contexts. The purpose of this paper is to provide a practical guide for teachers (both teacher educators and teaching practitioners) seeking to conduct physical activity-based research in Australian school settings, as well as discuss research practices. The …

Empowerment-Based Positive Youth Development: A New Understanding Of Healthy Development For African American Youth, Raphael Travis Jr., Tamara Leech

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

A shift occurred in research about adolescents in the general population. Research is moving away from deficits toward a resilience paradigm and understanding trajectories of positive youth development. This shift has been less consistent in research and practice with African American youth. A gap also exists in understanding whether individual youth development dimensions generate potential in other dimensions. This study presents an empowerment-based positive youth development model. It builds upon existing research to present a new vision of healthy development for African American youth that is strengths-based, developmental, culture-bound, and action-oriented. It emphasizes the relationship between person and environment, the …

Adolescents' Perspectives Of Home, School And Neighborhood Environmental Influences On Physical Activity And Dietary Behaviors, Patricia Tucker, Jennifer Irwin, Jason Gilliland, Meizi He

Trish Tucker

This investigation sought to gain an understanding of how youth perceive neighborhood environmental influences on their physical activity and eating behaviors. This qualitative study targeted a heterogeneous sample of 12- to 14- year-olds in London, Ontario, Canada. Using a semi-structured interview guide, we conducted nine focus groups (n = 60) and used inductive content analysis to investigate their discussions. Most participants discussed their school, parks, and opportunity structures around their homes as influencing their physical activity, and overwhelmingly reported the availability of fast-food restaurants, convenience stores, and slow-food restaurants in their neighborhoods as influencing their eating practices. The descriptive information …

Adults' Alcohol Consumption Behaviour And Support For Restrictions On Youth-Oriented Alcohol Advertisements, Sandina Begic, Elsa K. M. Howard, Theodore W. Mcdonald

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Research suggests that underage drinking is a serious problem in the United States, and that many of the factors that influence minors to consume alcohol are environmental in their nature. One such factor is youth-oriented alcohol advertisements. Although many adults support restrictions on such advertisements, others do not or do so to a lesser degree. In this study, we explored one factor that may influence how strongly adults support restrictions on youth-oriented alcohol advertisements: The frequency with which adults themselves report consuming alcoholic beverages. A total of 767 adult Idahoans completed a survey asking about a variety of perceptions related …

The Impact Of Co-Active Coaching On Physically Inactive 12 To 14 Year Olds In Ontario, Paul Gorczynski, Don Morrow, Jennifer Irwin

Donald Morrow

This study assessed the impact of life coaching on physical activity participation, self-efficacy, social support, and perceived behavioural control among physically inactive youth between the ages of 12 and 14 years in London, Ontario. The multiple-baseline across participants single case-experimental design study consisted of five 12 to 14 year olds. Six coaching sessions were conducted over two months by a certified professional Co-active coach. Physical activity increased for one participant while the other participants’ physical activity remained unchanged. No significant changes occurred in self-efficacy, social support, and perceived behavioural control with specific regard to becoming more physically active. Results indicted …

Alcohol Exposures, Alcohol Marketing, And Their Associations With Problem Drinking And Drunkenness Among Youth Living In The Slums Of Kampala, Uganda, Monica H. Swahn, Jane B. Palmier, Rogers Kasirye

Public Health Faculty Publications

This study determined the associations between alcohol use exposures, marketing, education, and problem drinking and drunkenness among youth living in the slums of Kampala. This cross-sectional study of youth was conducted in 2011 to quantify and describe high-risk behavior and exposures in a convenience sample (N=457) of urban youth living in the slums, 14–24 years of age, who were participating in a drop-in center for disadvantaged street youth. Logistic regression analyses were computed to determine associations between alcohol use exposures, marketing exposures, alcohol education, and problem drinking and drunkenness while controlling for possible confounders. Among participants, 30.2% reported problem drinking …

A Case For Gun Violence Prevention In Medical And Public Health Curriculum, Shaun Hamilton

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Gun violence profoundly impacts the landscape of violence in the United States. The costs of gun injuries are, estimated to be $100 billion each year in the United States. Although many physicians and health professionals agree that they have a role to play in the prevention of violence (American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP], 2002), there is a distinct disconnect between perceived responsibility and actual practice (Sidelinger, Guerrero, Rodriguez-Frau, & Mirabal-Colon, 2005). Physicians inherently have a role to play in the prevention of violence. The nature of their occupation places them in the “process” of violence in the form of treatment. …

Addressing Economic Devastation And Built Environment Degradation To Prevent Violence: A Photovoice Project Of Detroit Youth Passages, Louis Graham, Armando Reyes, William Lopez, Alana Gracey, Rachel Snow, Mark Padilla

Louis Graham

This project increased awareness about issues of violence to youth, their communities, and policy makers through the technique of photovoice and its translation into photo exhibitions and other community events. Youth participants learned photography skills, engaged in critical communal discussions about important issues affecting their health, wrote reflective stories about their photos, and engaged in policy change efforts. Their photos depict the need to address economic devastation and built environment degradation to prevent violence in their communities. Youth presented policy makers and community leaders with an “insider’s perspective” of the issues facing their communities, with the hope of promoting policy …

The Adolescent Experience In-Depth: Using Data To Identify And Reach The Most Vulnerable Young People—Rwanda 2010, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

“The Adolescent Experience In-Depth: Using Data to Identify and Reach the Most Vulnerable Young People: Rwanda 2010” is part of a series of Population Council guides that draw principally on data from the Demographic and Health Surveys to provide decisionmakers at all levels—from governments, nongovernmental organizations, and advocacy groups—with evidence on the situation of adolescent girls and boys and young women aged 10–24 years. The data are presented in graphs, tables, and maps (wherever possible), providing multiple formats to make the information accessible to a range of audiences. Section I is the Foreword. Section II offers brief technical notes specific …

Social Interaction And Youth Smoking, Min Chen

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Young people are psychologically immature, and are easy to be influenced by others to engage in risky behaviors. Based on the data from the NLSY79, this dissertation examines how maternal smoking, sibling smoking, and living in urban and rural areas impact on youth smoking decisions.

Breaking The Silence: Learning About Youth Sexual And Reproductive Health In Egypt [Arabic], Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Sally Saher, Nora El Nawawi

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This collection of research (supported by the Ford Foundation office in Cairo) documents the Population Council’s efforts to build the capacity of young Egyptian researchers to study youth sexual and reproductive health. Understanding the needs of young Egyptians, including their sexual and reproductive health needs, is crucial for developing policies and programs that can help bring about desired changes and improve their health and well-being. Young people must be given accurate information and access to services to protect their sexual and reproductive health and to prepare them for taking on family responsibilities as they get older. This report sets the …

Breaking The Silence: Learning About Youth Sexual And Reproductive Health In Egypt, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Sally Saher, Nora El Nawawi

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This collection of research (supported by the Ford Foundation office in Cairo) documents the Population Council’s efforts to build the capacity of young Egyptian researchers to study youth sexual and reproductive health. Understanding the needs of young Egyptians, including their sexual and reproductive health needs, is crucial for developing policies and programs that can help bring about desired changes and improve their health and well-being. Young people must be given accurate information and access to services to protect their sexual and reproductive health and to prepare them for taking on family responsibilities as they get older. This report sets the …

The Role Of Connectedness And Religious Factors On Bullying Participation Among Preadolescents In Puerto Rico, Melissa C. Mercado-Crespo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Relationships or connections with caring pro-social others (e.g., parents, teachers, school, friends, neighborhood, religion) serve as pro-resilience assets that may enhance children's abilities to cope with bullying. The purpose of this research study was to explore the roles of connectedness and religiosity as potential factors that could enhance resiliency against bullying among preadolescents in Puerto Rico (PR). This doctoral dissertation also addressed several gaps in the children's bullying, resilience and religiosity research literature.

A sample of 426 community-based afterschool program preadolescents (ages 10-12 years old) participated in this exploratory, cross-sectional study, by completing a quantitative questionnaire in paper and pencil …