Background: This study describes the perceived impact of H1N1 influenza and the adoption of the recommended measures to address the pandemic in schools. Methods: A cross-sectional self-reported survey was conducted in 433 schools in Barcelona addressed to the school principal or the H1N1 influenza designated person. A descriptive analysis was…

Sexual behavioral risk factors were studied in 1,090 youth (mean age 14 years) in Moscow (Russia) using the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance survey. Only 26.3% of youth reported being taught about HIV/AIDS infection in school, and just 41.7% indicated discussion of HIV/AIDS with parents or other familial adults. Condoms were used in 41.7% of…

The Safer Choices program, being tested in Texas and California, is a multicomponent program to change behaviors which lead to infection with HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy. Components include a School Health Promotion Council, curriculum and staff development activities, school environment activities implemented by peer…

The worth assessment procedure was used to evaluate secondary education textbooks for information on sexually transmitted diseases. It was found that sex education textbooks are more likely to contribute to sexually transmitted disease control objectives than health science textbooks. This article relates the details of the procedure and its…

This article addresses the issue of adolescent sex education as a means of preventing sexuality-related disorders, including: sexual dysfunction; sexual deviance; physical health problems often contracted from sexual activity; and various psychological and sociological ill effects resulting from unplanned pregnancies. (Author/CJB)

This study examined state adolescent immunization requirements and the regulatory context in which immunization programs operate, identifying current state regulations on informed parental consent. Data from the LEXIS-NEXIS legal database and surveys of state immunization program officials indicated that parental consent was standard in 43 states.…

Role playing situations in which the tracing of sexual contacts, advising a sexual contact to be examined for a venereal disease, and reducing the risk of contracting a venereal disease raise specific questions which can be answered in class. Three specific situations are provided which demonstrate how best to handle sensitive problems. (JN)

An experimental curriculum, the Cardiovascular Curriculum Education Project, consisting of a series of independent, self-instructional units focusing on cardiovascular diseases, was developed for a secondary school health curriculum. Study results indicate that the experimental curriculum was successful in improving students' knowledge of…

Findings of this study indicate that in health education classes more time is spent teaching about the cardiovascular system than about the disease and risk factors. (MM)

A new strategy to improve the delivery of vaccination services to adolescents and to integrate recommendations for vaccination with other adolescent preventive services promotes vaccination of young adolescents by establishing routine visits to their health care providers. Recommendations for vaccination are based on new or current information for…

Examined national Youth Risk Behavior Survey data and state and local surveys of high school students to investigate behaviors contributing to unintentional injuries, violence, substance use, age at initiation of risk behaviors, substance abuse on school property, sexual behaviors contributing to pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases,…

Community HealthCorps members working in community health centers provided HIV/AIDS prevention education to youth as part of their community service work. After HealthCorps members received training in the curriculum, Be Proud! Be Responsible!, they recruited youth from their communities to complete the program, offering prevention education which…

Describes adolescents' use of school-based health clinics (SBCs) for family planning and sexually transmitted disease (STD)-related services, using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Results indicated that 13 percent received family planning and 8.9 percent received STD-related services from SBCs. Factors affecting the…

A study of high school students produced information on their age at learning about sex-related topics, and the source and accuracy of their knowledge. Peers were cited most often as the source of information. Many sexual concepts were acquired by the age of eleven, and the overall accuracy was 78.7 percent. (FG)

Neither sexuality education nor abstinence programs have reduced adolescent pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease. The article presents recent data, explains why prevention does not work, and describes crucial factors that school and community prevention programs fail to incorporate (adult-teen intercourse, teen-teen intercourse, adult…