Background: Exposure to injury and violence early in life increases the risk of experiencing injury and violence later in life. In 2019, the top 3 leading causes of death among 15- to 18-year-olds in the United States were unintentional injury, suicide, and homicide. This study examines the extent to which schools promote injury and violence…

Background: School-based health centers (SBHCs) provide health care to vulnerable youth. The purpose of the study was to identify characteristics of youth who use SBHCs with the highest frequency to understand their health needs and receipt of health services. Methods: This study examined cross-sectional survey data from adolescents in 3 urban…

Background: This study examined trauma screening and behavioral health linkage rates in school-based health centers (SBHCs). Methods: Participants included 4161 English- and Spanish-speaking patients between the ages of 12 and 22 across 8 urban SBHCs 2 years. Screening rates at medical visits and linkage to additional behavioral health screening…

Background: Physical education (PE) can provide opportunities to engage in daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), but MVPA levels in many classes are low. This study examines MVPA during middle school PE lessons before and after receiving the SPARK (Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids) program. Methods: Sixteen schools were…

Background: After-school programs (ASPs) play a crucial role in supplementing the present school day. However, implementing ASPs in the urban environment and among adolescents (grades 6-12) poses unique challenges. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic literature review to identify evidence-based barriers and facilitators to…

Background: Bullying and victimization are ongoing concerns in schools. School health centers (SHCs) are well situated to support affected students because they provide crisis intervention, mental health care, and broader interventions to improve school climate. This study examined the association between urban adolescents' experiences of…

Background: While demand for youth violence prevention programs increases, the ability of the school-day schedule to accommodate their time requirements has diminished. Viable school-based prevention programs must strike a balance between brevity and effectiveness. This article reports results from an effectiveness trial of a 12-session…

Background: Childhood obesity continues to be a public health problem in the United States. Increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables (F/V) is one strategy for decreasing high consumption of energy-dense, high-fat foods, thereby improving weight status. Many Orleans Parish public schools were provided with salad bars (SBs) to augment school…

Background: Insufficient attention has been paid to the process of conducting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's School Health Index (SHI) to promote collaboration between universities and urban school districts when developing adolescent health promotion initiatives. This article provides an overview of the real-world contextual…

Background: With the increasing acuity of student health problems, growing rates of poverty among urban families, and widening racial/ethnic health disparities in child and adolescent health indicators, the contributions of school nurses are of increasing interest to policymakers. This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of school nurses on…

Background: Problems related to gangs have been noted in large cities and in many schools across the United States. This study examined the patterns of alcohol, drug use, and related exposures among male and female high school students who were gang members. Methods: Analyses were based on the Youth Violence Survey, conducted in 2004, and…

Background: This study sought to understand the relationship between school-based health centers (SBHCs) and academic outcomes such as early dismissal and loss of seat time (the time students are available in school to learn or to access support services). Methods: A quasi-experimental research design was used to compare rates of early dismissal…

Background: Children with asthma experience more absenteeism from school compared with their nonasthma peers. Excessive absenteeism is related to lower student grades, psychological, social, and educational adjustment. Less is known about the relationship between the presence of asthma and the academic achievement in school-aged children. Since…

Examined violent behavior and aggression among youth attending 10 urban alternative schools in Texas. Student surveys indicated that aggression significantly related to fighting and weapon carrying. The prevalence of violent behavior was lower among these nontraditional students than among students from the 1998 national alternative Youth Risk…

Implemented a computerized screening instrument, the Adolescent Health Review, in urban school-based clinics to test the viability of a stand-alone screening process and its acceptance by patients and providers, examining the relationship between health risks and the stated purpose for the clinic visit. Patients and providers readily accepted the…