Background: While vaccines have reduced the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccine hesitancy threatens the re-emergence of childhood infectious diseases. Purpose: This randomized controlled study evaluated an online vaccine education program to advance vaccine acceptance among middle-school students. Methodology: Study participants…

The Sexual Health And Peer Education (SHAPE) program implemented in middle schools in Oklahoma County utilizes a hybrid adult and peer educator model to deliver sexual health programming. While peer educators have been incorporated into school-based sexual health programs in the past, this program is unique in its approach to preparing and…

Sexual health education should meet the needs of all students. One strategy educators can use to ensure instruction meets students' needs is to encourage the submission of anonymous questions, allowing students to gain information without fear of instructor or peer reactions. We investigated anonymous questions submitted by middle school…

A post-hoc study was conducted to ascertain the effect of comprehensive sex education on of 7th graders' knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes regarding sexual health and sexual identities in a small city school district in the Midwest USA. All five middle schools in the district participated, three of which used a comprehensive curriculum and two…

The purpose of this preliminary study was to identify oral problems and promote a healthy lifestyle at gimnazial school pupils, from a Romanian disadvantaged area. We wanted to identify the progress made by pupils following theoretical or practical interventions. Thus, along with the theoretical notions transmitted, either in the optional course…

Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation improves survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a basic life support (BLS) educational course given to 110 middle school children, using a pretest posttest design. In the pretest, students were asked to demonstrate BLS on a manikin to simulate a…

This study explores the situation of basic level community school boy and girl students' science and health learning through collaborative culture. Fifth, sixth and seventh-grade students (both boys and girls) took part in this study. As per the aim of this study, a set of questionnaire was developed and administered to the sampled students. Two…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assess the socioscientific issue (SSI) method as a way of improving seventh graders' nutrition know-how on dietary supplements (DS), and to describe how students experience learning nutritional issues through the SSI method. Design/methodology/approach: Participants were seventh graders from three different…

Background: Training middle school students to perform hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (HOCPR) is a potential method to increase overall rates of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). We aimed to examine the feasibility of teaching this population CPR using teacher-implemented education sessions guided by American Heart…

Adolescents are influenced by the type, length and quality of the connections shared with different people throughout their lifespan. Relationships with peers, friends, and adults help to shape knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs related to health. Recognizing healthy or unhealthy characteristics allow youth to strengthen relationships and…

Background: A good classroom environment can promote students' learning motivation and affect their academic efficacy and adaptation. This study compares the perceptions of Taiwanese middle school students regarding actual and preferred classroom environments and explores the association with sex and grade level. Methods: Data were collected using…

Background: Body image refers to an individual's thoughts and feelings about his or her body and physical appearance. To date, several qualitative and quantitative findings implicate sociocultural influences, such as the media or parental pressure, in shaping female adolescents' body image perceptions. Overall, there is not much quantitative…

In 2010, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) was facing a dilemma--how to deliver a consistent sex education program in a complex and diverse school district. Four years earlier, the school board had adopted a policy calling for students in grades 5 through 12 to receive family life and comprehensive sex education. To help support schools in meeting this…

We examined middle years adolescents' (ages 12-13) responses to reading and viewing advertisements as part of integrated language arts and health education lessons. We report here on the qualitative results from student and teacher focus groups, and from student journals. Three regular classroom teachers co-developed (with university…

The purpose of this study was to implement a weight-related teasing prevention program and evaluate the effectiveness of the program among adolescents. One hundred forty-three students in 7th-grade in health classes at the middle school were asked to participate in the study. The weight-related teasing prevention program was implemented as part of…