Summarizes results from a study that used biennial school-based surveys to analyze the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related sexual-risk behaviors among high school students in urban areas. Results indicated that from 1991 to 1997, the percentage of high school students engaging in HIV-related sexual-risk behaviors decreased in…

Describes Safety Makes Sense, a multidimensional, school-based injury prevention initiative that integrates unintentional injury prevention into comprehensive school health education and is implemented by interdisciplinary teams within a coordinated school health program. The initiative integrates safety and music education and includes…

Relatively little is known about risk behaviors of elementary school children. A recent evaluation of a comprehensive school health education curriculum provided an opportunity to survey elementary school children about their perceived health status, knowledge, attitudes, health self-efficacy, and health and risk behaviors. For the evaluation, a…

Used a national survey of school based health clinic directors to assess the success of clinics in terms of longevity and service delivery, testing factors, particularly political factors, thought to impinge upon their ability to function effectively. Results indicated that factors most consistently and significantly associated with success…

Describes the efforts, outcomes, and recommendations from an urban California school district's pilot program for vaccinating preteens in two diverse urban middle schools. Barriers and strategies included staff inexperience, educating students, informing parents, tracking vaccinations, coping with language diversity, and creating individualized…

Background: Despite the benefits of physical activity (PA), a significant proportion of youth remains inactive. Studies assessing differences in the correlates of PA among urban and rural youth are scarce, and such investigations can help identify subgroups of the population that may need to be targeted for special intervention programs. The…

A study attempted to compare differences in alcohol and marijuana use between urban and rural junior and senior high school students. Results of the study indicate that the former gulf between urban and rural student drug use may no longer exist. (JN)

High-school male and female students completed a survey on perceptions regarding nonconsensual sexual activity. Females, blacks, and students with low academic achievement were significantly more likely to perceive that all or most of their close friends were having sex. Females were more knowledgeable than males about nonconsensual sexual…

Telephone survey of urban school-based health programs nationwide examined current programs, obstacles, and approaches for addressing students' needs. City size affected the amount of services provided overall; a clear relationship existed between number of providers employed and number/amount of screening services available. (SM)

Evaluated the impact of two elementary level school based health centers (SBHCs), located in schools within high-poverty, inner city neighborhoods, on emergency department visits by children enrolled in the SBHC. Overall, SBHCs resulted in significant decreases in non-urgent emergency department visits, but not in urgent visits. Medicaid-insured…

The "Partners in School Asthma Management" program for inner-city elementary school children comprises (1) case finding; (2) linkage of school nurses, parents, and clinicians; (3) a computer-based tailored educational program; and (4) school environmental assessment and intervention. Case finding identified 1730 children in 60 elementary schools…

Examined student recruitment into an alcohol prevention program within neighborhood and magnet inner-city middle schools, noting student retention through one-month posttest and one-year followup. At one month, dropouts were more at risk for alcohol use initiation than nondropouts. At one year, dropouts were more likely to initiate alcohol and…

Measured asthma outcomes after initiating an inner-city elementary school health center that emphasized asthma detection and treatment. Pre- and post-intervention comparison of students indicated that: hospitalization rates for asthma decreased; outpatient visits for care in the absence of symptoms doubled; numbers of students seeing an asthma…

Investigated mothers' perceptions of factors contributing to school violence. Surveys of mothers of junior high school students in urban and suburban settings suggested no significant overall differences in perceptions of predisposing factors among urban and suburban mothers. Most did not perceive characteristics of urbanicity as contributing…

The broad impact of teen pregnancy prompted initiation of a collaborative Northeast Adolescent Project in the Houston (Texas) area in 1990. Results of an evaluation of the program indicate that comprehensive community coalitions can effectively motivate health applications to improve prenatal outcomes among sexually active, urban, minority…