Childhood obesity has become a global epidemic, with long-term implications for the physical and psychological well-being of individuals. Elementary schools serve as a crucial environment for addressing this issue by providing physical education (PE) programs. However, barriers to implementing quality PE curricula can impede efforts to fight…

Obesity is an issue that negatively effects the health and wellbeing of children across the U.S. The problem addressed by this study was the increasing percentage of obesity among elementary students in a southeastern school district. Guided by Bandura's social learning theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the…

Children in Hawai'i demonstrate the highest rates of oral caries in the nation due to multitude of factors, such as a lack of appropriate funding or education, absence of fluoridation in water systems, no local dental schools, and racial/ethnic/socioeconomic disparities. This quality improvement project aimed to increase confidence and knowledge…

Many children in U.S. K-12 schools struggle with childhood obesity. A healthy lifestyle taught in a child's early years is essential for student learning, and it can set the pace for healthy choices to be made in adulthood. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to explore the experiences of parents in Montgomery County, Ohio, who…

Children and adolescents transitioning from partial hospitalization programs-to-schools have both mental health and educational needs. As the leading mental health experts in schools, school psychologists are uniquely suited to address the needs of these students. However, their role in this transition process has yet to be explored. This study…

The nutrition environment in schools can influence the risk for childhood overweight and obesity, which in turn can have life-long implications for risk of chronic disease. This dissertation aimed to examine the nutrition environment in primary public schools in California with regards to the amount of nutrition education provided in the…

The widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) is a public policy strategy to improve healthcare quality and reduce accelerating health care costs. Much research has focused on medical providers' perceptions of EHRs, but little is known about those of behavioral health providers. This research was informed by the theory of reasoned…

Childhood obesity is a prevalent subject of research currently, and many researchers have studied the effectiveness of school programs in battling obesity among students. This case study, utilizing ethnographic tools of observation, interviews, and investigation of artifacts, examines educators' perceptions of the role of the school in the…

Since former Surgeon General David Satcher first identified childhood obesity as a threat to the nation's health in 2001, health professionals have investigated potential solutions. Venues in which to address this problem have also been explored. The school setting was identified by the Institute of Medicine as a viable location in which to…

The majority of youth in need of mental health services do not receive intervention as many are not identified as having a problem or their families experience practical or attitudinal barriers that interfere with service utilization. The school environment provides a unique point of access to reach all children, yet this setting has been…