Although it is generally accepted that the proportion of children diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) has increased in the past two decades, there is no consensus on the prevalence of these conditions. The accompanying large rise in demand for services, together with uncertainty regarding the extent to which the observed…

Two documents are presented here. One is a report of the Texas state health department concerning the immunization needs of the state's population, the extent of federal, state, and private financial support for public vaccination programs, legislation and current efforts to extend immunization to all children, and future directions for…

This federal document offers a comprehensive approach to reduce demand for illegal drugs and decrease their availability. Supported by statistical tables and graphs, the summary is divided into six sections. "The Purpose and Nature of the Strategy" outlines a 10-year plan for drug interdiction and reduction and identifies the elements of…

In order for the United States to hold its long-standing position as an international leader in research and development, current as well as future generations must be made aware of the relationship between basic research and improvements in the quality of life. Seven subcommittees were asked to present overviews and discussions of their…

Health promotion redirects thinking about health by: reasserting its social and political aspects; ensuring the people the power to define their own health concerns; and placing health more clearly in the context of other aims in life. This compilation of 41 articles in 8 sections attempts to document this process of redirection of thought. The…

Earlier observations on U.S. infant health and survival as compared with other Western industrial democracies are extended in a study of preventive health services for children from infancy through adolescence and to the social benefit programs that support their families. This report looks at the condition of children in 10 European countries…

This compilation presents edited manuscripts of presentations from a community education conference held in Illinois. Summaries are provided for the following presentations: (1) "Leadership for Diversity," by Theodore L. Gross, outlining classroom goals to lead students out of prejudice; (2) "Building Coalitions," by Pat Kaye Edwards, reviewing…

Intended as a contribution to a workshop discussion on program evaluation in higher education, the paper covers five major evaluation issues. First, it deals with evaluation concepts, explaining the purposes of evaluation; pertinent terms; and the sources of evaluation in public health procedures, the scientific method, the systems approach, and…

This technical report is part of a series on AIDS/HIV (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome/Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and is intended to help link various legal advocacy organizations providing services to persons with mental illness or developmental disabilities. This paper examines AIDS policy issues in mental health institutions. The paper…

Proceeding from the implicit message promoted by the National Cancer Institute to the communication profession--expertise in health communication is central to the effort to alleviate the costs of the national burden placed on the economy because of cancer--this paper proposes the development of health communication as a career. Specifically, the…

This report reviews the essential medical facts concerning Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), the legal implications of AIDS in the school setting, and school board policy responses to AIDS. The report begins with an introduction that clarifies the extent of the problem posed to schools by AIDS and identifies the kinds of information with…

Designed to assist practitioners of both formal and non-formal settings, this 18th volume of the ERIC Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education's Teaching Activities in Environmental Education series specifically focuses on the theme of hazardous and toxic materials. Initially, basic environmental concepts that deal with…

First Years Together (FYT), a 3-year service and training demonstration project, provided services to 32 high risk or preterm babies and their parents in order to overcome the emotional and developmental effects of hospitalization and a worrisome start. Service was initiated shortly before each baby's discharge from the intensive care unit and…

To document the effects of television public service announcements (PSAs) in a community setting, a public service campaign was designed and implemented to stimulate awareness of and behavioral response to problems of hypertension among urban Mexican Americans in Houston. Three pretested Spanish language PSAs were designed to motivate the audience…

When confronted with a student with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), administrators must act very cautiously. In addition to the public relations and political problems asociated with students with AIDS, administrators are faced with the legal implications of their decisions; their actions, if uninformed, can result in monetary…