Health Education and Literacy
Health Literacy, Numeracy, and Health Promotion: A Secondary Analysis of the Choosewell 365 Workplace Trial
Health literacy and numeracy are linked to obesity and dietary behaviors. This study investigates whether the effect of a workplace behavioral intervention to prevent weight gain and improve diet differed by employee health literacy and numeracy.Public Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Clinical Trials in the COVID-19 Era
Participant enrollment in clinical trials is challenged by a multitude of structural-, clinical-, physician-, and individual-level barriers to participation.1 In addition to slow clinical trial accrual, there is often under-representation of racial/ethnic minorities who encounter even greater barriers to participation.2,3 The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has further challenged participant enrollment.4 Nationally representative data on attitudes toward clinical trials are limited.Awareness of Diabetic Retinopathy: Insight From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
This study determines the prevalence and associated correlates of people unaware of their diabetic retinopathy diagnosis in the U.S.Easing Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Hesitancy: A Communication Experiment With U.S. Parents
The Announcement Approach using presumptive announcements increases human papillomavirus vaccine uptake. This study seeks to understand the impact of the final Announcement Approach steps—easing parents’ vaccine concerns and then encouraging them to get human papillomavirus vaccine for their children—on parents’ human papillomavirus vaccine hesitancy and confidence in the vaccine's benefits.The Association Between Health Literacy and Self-rated Health Among Residents of China Aged 15–69 Years
Health literacy is a critical determinant of health. However, the association between health literacy and outcomes among Chinese residents has not been studied using nationally representative data. This study examines the association between health literacy and self-rated health among Chinese residents based on the 2017 China Health Literacy Survey.Associations Between Exposure to The Real Cost Campaign, Pro-Tobacco Advertisements, and Tobacco Use Among Youth in the U.S.
E-cigarette use is rising among youth. Advertising and anti-tobacco campaigns may be associated with the use of E-cigarettes and other tobacco products. This study examines the associations between tobacco use and exposure to The Real Cost's first campaign focusing on E-cigarettes.The Relationship Between Health Literacy and Nonrecommended Cancer Screening
Health literacy affects how patients behave within the healthcare system. Overutilization of screening procedures inconsistent with the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines contributes to the high cost of health care. The authors hypothesize that higher health literacy supports guideline-concordant screening. This study assesses the effect of health literacy on nonrecommended prostate, breast, and cervical cancer screening in patients older than the recommended screening age limit.Impact of The Real Cost Media Campaign on Youth Smoking Initiation
The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between youth exposure to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's national tobacco public education campaign, The Real Cost, and changes in smoking initiation.Parents’ Awareness and Perceptions of JUUL and Other E-Cigarettes
The purpose of this study is to examine awareness, attitudes, and related knowledge of e-cigarettes, and JUUL specifically, among parents of middle and high school students.Misinformation as a Misunderstood Challenge to Public Health
The concept of misinformation as a problem appears prominently in recent academic literature and public discourse, as researchers have raised concerns about the spread of inaccurate information online, decision making based on problematic information, and even the acceptance of medical conspiracy theories.1–4 Misinformation is false or inaccurate information regardless of intentional authorship, and yet much discussion about misinformation has focused on malicious acts to infect social media platforms with false information.Menthol Smoking Patterns and Smoking Perceptions Among Youth: Findings From the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study
Youth may be attracted to menthol cigarettes because they are perceived as less harmful and harsh to smoke relative to non-menthol cigarettes. This study examined demographic factors and menthol cigarette smoking patterns as correlates of youth harm perceptions of cigarette smoking and ease of smoking menthol versus non-menthol cigarettes.Vaccine Education, Reasons for Refusal, and Vaccination Behavior
Little is known about associations between the reasons parents refuse or delay vaccines for their children, their responsiveness to vaccine counseling, and their children's vaccination status at various ages. Since 2015, Michigan has required parents to attend education sessions at local health departments to receive nonmedical exemptions. This requirement provides an opportunity to study otherwise opaque aspects of vaccine refusal.Compensation Behaviors and Skin Cancer Prevention
Skin cancer prevention guidelines recommend practicing multiple behaviors to protect against harmful ultraviolet rays, yet few adults report practicing more than one recommended behavior. This study examines the extent to which skin cancer prevention behaviors are combined and may follow a pattern of compensation in which an individual's performance of one behavior (e.g., wearing sunscreen) precludes performing other protective behaviors (e.g., wearing a hat).Impact of U.S. Antismoking TV Ads on Spanish-Language Quitline Calls
Cigarette smoking is a major preventable cause of disease and death among U.S. Hispanics. Tobacco-cessation quitlines have been shown to increase quitting among Hispanics. However, the use of quitlines by this population remains low, especially among Spanish-speaking Hispanics. This study evaluates the promotion of 1-855-DÉJELO-YA (a quitline portal that routes callers to state-specific Spanish-language services) implemented as part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's national Tips From Former Smokers® (Tips®) campaign.Electronic Cigarette Harm and Benefit Perceptions and Use Among Youth
The purpose of this study is to examine adolescent perceptions of harms and benefits associated with electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and their associations with use.Lessons From Suicide Prevention Campaigns: Considerations for Opioid Messaging
Opioids are the contributing factor to increases in fatal overdoses in the U.S. and claimed more than 33,000 American lives in 2015.1 Identifying effective public health approaches to reduce opioid-related morbidity and mortality is an urgent priority. Public messaging is one such intervention that can be used to help by shifting individual factors (e.g., attitudes and beliefs) associated with an increased likelihood of behavior change and supporting the development of larger social environments (e.g., promote community connectedness) that validate and motivate targeted behaviors.Addressing Parents’ Vaccine Concerns: A Randomized Trial of a Social Media Intervention
Successful strategies are needed to address parental vaccine hesitancy, a significant public health issue. The study objective was to assess whether an Internet-based platform with vaccine information and interactive social media components improved parents’ vaccine-related attitudes.Trends and Gaps in Awareness of Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Tests From 2007 to 2014
Direct-to-consumer genetic tests for inherited disease risks have gained recent approvals from the Food and Drug Administration, and interest in these tests has continued to grow. Broad use of these tests coupled with planning and discussion with health providers regarding genetic risks and potential protective behavior changes have been proposed as preventive tools to reduce health disparities and improve equity in health outcomes. However, awareness of direct-to-consumer genetic testing has historically demonstrated differences by education, income, and race; these disparities could jeopardize potential benefits by limiting access and use.Air Quality Awareness Among U.S. Adults With Respiratory and Heart Disease
Poor air quality affects respiratory and cardiovascular health. Information about health risks associated with outdoor air quality is communicated to the public using air quality alerts. This study was conducted to assess associations of existing respiratory and heart disease with three aspects of air quality awareness: awareness of air quality alerts, discussing with a health professional strategies to reduce air pollution exposure, and avoiding busy roads to reduce air pollution exposure when walking, biking, or exercising outdoors.Lay Beliefs About the Accuracy and Value of Cancer Screening
Appreciating the accuracy and value of cancer screening is essential to informed decision making about screening. This study’s objectives were to (1) examine people’s beliefs about the accuracy and value of cancer screening, and (2) determine whether sociodemographics, cancer beliefs, and shared decision making are associated with these beliefs.Awareness of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in U.S. Young Adults Aged 18–39 Years
Young adults with hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes are at increased risk of developing heart disease later in life. Despite emphasis on early screening, little is known about awareness of these risk factors in young adulthood.Individualized Fracture Risk Feedback and Long-term Benefits After 10 Years
This study aimed to determine if beneficial effects of individualized feedback of fracture risk on osteoporosis preventive behaviors and bone mineral density observed in a 2-year trial were sustained long-term.Parental Support for Age-based Indoor Tanning Restrictions
Regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, are considering policies to ban indoor tanning for youth aged <18 years. Using data from a nationally representative sample, this study assessed parental support for age-based bans as well as less restrictive parental permission requirements.State-Level Awareness of Chronic Kidney Disease in the U.S.
This study examined state-level variation in chronic kidney disease (CKD) awareness using national estimates of disease awareness among adults in the U.S. with CKD.Vaccine Education of Medical Students: A Nationwide Cross-sectional Survey
Physicians play a primary role in vaccination of the population. Strong initial training of medical students is therefore essential to enable them to fulfill this role. This cross-sectional nationwide online survey conducted between September 2015 and January 2016 obtained 2,118 completed surveys from 6,690 eligible respondents (response rate, 32%) at 27 of 32 medical schools in France regarding their education about vaccination. The data were analyzed in April–June 2016. The survey covered their knowledge, attitudes, practices, and perceptions, and assessed their level of perceived preparedness for their future practice as interns.Community-Level Inequalities in Concussion Education of Youth Football Coaches
USA Football has made the Heads Up Football (HUF) concussion education program available for coaches of youth football players. Existing evidence about the effectiveness of the HUF coach education program is equivocal. For HUF and other programs, there is growing concern that even effective interventions can increase inequalities if there is different uptake or impact by SES or other demographic factors. Understanding how adoption is patterned along these lines is important for understanding equity issues in youth football.Perceived Discrimination and Privilege in Health Care: The Role of Socioeconomic Status and Race
This study examined how perceived racial privilege and perceived racial discrimination in health care varied with race and socioeconomic status (SES).Colorectal Cancer Screening and Chinese Americans: Efficacy of Lay Health Worker Outreach and Print Materials
Chinese Americans have low colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates. Evidence-based interventions to increase CRC screening in this population are lacking. This study aims to compare the efficacy of two interventions in increasing CRC screening among Chinese Americans.Factors Perceived as Influencing Local Health Department Involvement in Mental Health
Local health departments (LHDs) are potentially well positioned to implement population-based approaches to mental health promotion, but research indicates that most LHDs are not substantively engaged in activities to address mental health. Little is known about factors that influence if and how LHDs address population mental health. The objectives of this qualitative study were to (1) understand how LHD officials perceive population mental health; (2) identify factors that influence these perceptions and LHD activities to address population mental health; and (3) develop an empirically derived conceptual framework of LHD engagement in population mental health.Effectiveness of the Tobacco Tactics Program in the Trinity Health System
This study determined the effectiveness of the Tobacco Tactics intervention.School-Based Health Centers’ Presence: The Role of School and Community Factors
School-based health centers (SBHCs) offer an efficient mechanism for delivering health services to large numbers of underserved youth; however, their availability varies across communities. Data on sociocontextual variables were analyzed to investigate factors that inhibit and facilitate SBHCs.Healthcare Provider Contact and Pre-exposure Prophylaxis in Baltimore Men Who Have Sex With Men
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) safely and effectively prevents HIV in populations at high risk, including men who have sex with men (MSM). PrEP scale-up depends upon primary care providers and community-based organizations (CBOs) sharing PrEP information. This study aimed to determine whether healthcare provider or CBO contact was associated with PrEP awareness among Baltimore MSM.Disparities in Diabetes by Education and Race/Ethnicity in the U.S., 1973–2012
Diabetes mellitus incidence has more than doubled in the U.S. over the past 2 decades. Not all sectors of the population have experienced the increase proportionally. The goal of this study was to determine if disparities in diabetes by education and race/ethnicity have increased over time, and if there are differences by gender and birth cohort.All Nations Breath of Life: A Randomized Trial of Smoking Cessation for American Indians
American Indians have the highest cigarette smoking prevalence of any racial/ethnic group in the U.S. There is currently no effective empirically based smoking-cessation program for American Indians. The purpose of this study was to determine if a culturally tailored smoking-cessation program, All Nations Breath of Life (ANBL), is more effective than a non-tailored cessation program among American Indian smokers.Community Health Workers as Support for Sickle Cell Care
Community health workers are increasingly recognized as useful for improving health care and health outcomes for a variety of chronic conditions. Community health workers can provide social support, navigation of health systems and resources, and lay counseling. Social and cultural alignment of community health workers with the population they serve is an important aspect of community health worker intervention. Although community health worker interventions have been shown to improve patient-centered outcomes in underserved communities, these interventions have not been evaluated with sickle cell disease.Evidence-Based Decision Making in Youth Mental Health Prevention
Given the impressive amount of knowledge relevant to prevention efforts, this paper articulates strategies to capitalize on such knowledge through evidence-based decision making. Knowledge, or “evidence,” is understood here as coming from multiple sources, including research, individual people, group history, and relevant theory. The presented strategies to facilitate evidence-based decision making are: (1) intervention knowledge management; (2) collaborative design; (3) knowledge resources for intervention; and (4) developmentally sensitive training and supervision.Toward a More Complete Picture of Outpatient, Office-Based Health Care in the U.S.
The healthcare system in the U.S., particularly outpatient, office-based care, has been shifting toward service delivery by advanced practice providers, particularly nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs). The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is the leading source of nationally representative data on care delivered by office-based physicians. This paper first describes NAMCS, then discusses key NAMCS expansion efforts, and finally presents major findings from two exploratory studies that assess the feasibility of collecting data from NPs and PAs as sampled providers in NAMCS.Education and the Relationship Between Supermarket Environment and Diet
Supermarkets are a major source of food for many families. Knowledge of how educational attainment affects the relationship between in-store environments of supermarkets and diet is needed. This study examined the relationship between maternal dietary quality and overall in-store supermarket environment, and assessed the effect modification of educational attainment.Sensitizing Future Health Professionals to Determinants of Childhood Obesity
Long-term solutions to the childhood obesity epidemic will require concerted interdisciplinary efforts that are sensitive to both individual and social determinants of health. The Junior Doctors of Health© (JDOH) program involves interprofessional education (IPE) with university students from health science fields (e.g., medicine, pharmacy, social work, public health) who deliver an interactive program in teams to at-risk school-aged youth. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of participation in the JDOH IPE program on university students’ beliefs about childhood obesity.The Online Personal Action Plan: A Tool to Transform Patient-Enabled Preventive and Chronic Care
Patient-facing online tools for managing preventive and chronic care can be a resource-effective way to increase patient agency in health promotion. Recently, Kaiser Permanente Southern California added the Online Personal Action Plan (oPAP) to the member web portal to better enable members to access information about prevention, health promotion, and care gaps. This study described Kaiser Permanente Southern California members who use oPAP, as well as how members use oPAP to close five different care gaps: hemoglobin A1c testing, pneumonia vaccination, and three cancer screenings.A Randomized Trial of Motivational Interviewing: Cessation Induction Among Smokers With Low Desire to Quit
Despite limitations in evidence, the current Clinical Practice Guideline advocates Motivational Interviewing for smokers not ready to quit. This study evaluated the efficacy of Motivational Interviewing for inducing cessation-related behaviors among smokers with low motivation to quit.Relation of Health Literacy to Exceeding the Labeled Maximum Daily Dose of Acetaminophen
Acetaminophen is a commonly used analgesic/antipyretic; overdoses can lead to liver damage. Little is known about the relationship of health literacy to exceeding the recommended maximum daily dose (4 g).Awareness of Dietary and Alcohol Guidelines Among Colorectal Cancer Survivors
Although dietary habits can affect colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors’ health, it is unclear how familiar survivors are with dietary guidelines, what they believe about healthy eating and alcohol consumption, and what hinders healthy dietary habits after cancer. This study assessed CRC survivors’ familiarity with dietary guidelines, their eating and drinking habits, and perceived facilitators and barriers to healthy eating after cancer, including social support and self-efficacy for maintaining a healthy diet and limiting alcohol.Social Differentiation of Sun-Protection Behaviors: The Mediating Role of Cognitive Factors
Adherence to sun-protection guidelines in developed countries is low, especially among people of low SES. Mechanisms underlying this social differentiation are poorly understood. This study aimed to examine the social differentiation of sun-protection behaviors and of two cognitive factors (knowledge about both sun health and behavioral risk factors for cancer) and to determine if these cognitive factors mediate the association between SES and sun-protection behaviors.Interactive Web-Based Learning: Translating Health Policy Into Improved Diabetes Care
In August 2014, the U.S. DHHS’s Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion released the National Action Plan for Adverse Drug Event Prevention, highlighting prevention of diabetes agent–related hypoglycemia as a key area for improvement. In support of the Action Plan, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion then developed a web-based interactive module, or eLearning lesson, based on formative research and stakeholder feedback to educate healthcare professionals on strategies to prevent adverse drug events from diabetes agents.Understanding Research Gaps and Priorities for Improving Behavioral Counseling Interventions: Lessons Learned From the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
Behavioral counseling interventions can address significant causes of preventable morbidity and mortality. However, despite a growing evidence base for behavioral counseling interventions, there remain significant research gaps that limit translating the evidence into clinical practice. Using U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) examples, we address how researchers and funders can move the research portfolio forward to achieve better application of behavioral counseling interventions to address substantial health burdens in the U.S.Awareness of Prediabetes and Engagement in Diabetes Risk–Reducing Behaviors
Studies have demonstrated the benefit of weight loss and physical activity for diabetes prevention among those with prediabetes. Despite this evidence, only about half of people with prediabetes report engaging in these behaviors. One presumed barrier is low patient awareness of prediabetes. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of prediabetes awareness on the odds of engagement in diabetes risk–reduction behaviors.Looking Beyond Income and Education: Socioeconomic Status Gradients Among Future High-Cost Users of Health Care
Healthcare spending occurs disproportionately among a very small portion of the population. Research on these high-cost users (HCUs) of health care has been overwhelmingly cross-sectional in nature and limited to the few sociodemographic and clinical characteristics available in health administrative databases. This study is the first to bridge this knowledge gap by applying a population health lens to HCUs. We investigate associations between a broad range of SES characteristics and future HCUs.Predictors of Human Papillomavirus Awareness and Knowledge in 2013: Gaps and Opportunities for Targeted Communication Strategies
Nearly 80 million people in the U.S. are currently infected with at least one of two strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), which is associated with 70% of cervical cancers. Greater cervical cancer mortality has been observed among women of lower SES and those living in rural, versus urban, areas. African American and Hispanic women are significantly more likely to die from cervical cancer than non-Hispanic white women.Public Health Workforce Taxonomy
Thoroughly characterizing and continuously monitoring the public health workforce is necessary for ensuring capacity to deliver public health services. A prerequisite for this is to develop a standardized methodology for classifying public health workers, permitting valid comparisons across agencies and over time, which does not exist for the public health workforce. An expert working group, all of whom are authors on this paper, was convened during 2012–2014 to develop a public health workforce taxonomy.Public Health Practice Competency Improvement Among Nurses
Recommendations for improving public health workforce competency led to an academic–practice partnership project conducted to improve competency for providing essential public health services among public health nurses.Training Racial and Ethnic Minority Students for Careers in Public Health Sciences
A workforce that resembles the society it serves is likely to be more effective in improving health equity for racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. Racial and ethnic minorities are underrepresented in the U.S. public health professions. Project Imhotep is operated by Morehouse College with funding and technical assistance from CDC. Imhotep trains racial and ethnic minority students for entry into graduate and professional training programs for careers in the public health sciences. The curriculum focuses on biostatistics, epidemiology, and occupational safety and health with practical training in statistical data analysis, scientific writing, and oral presentation skills.Education in Public Health: Expanding the Frontiers
A competent workforce is critical to the maintenance and expansion of public health activities. The signature degree in the field—the Master of Public Health (MPH)—is available to students who can commit 1–2 years (depending on prior degrees and experience) for full-time residential study; to those who can commit 2–4 years for part-time study; and as an online degree; to those who can pay tuition, often representing a heavy financial burden.The Parent–Child Dyad and Risk Perceptions Among Parents Who Quit Smoking
Most parental smokers are deeply invested in their child’s health, but it is unknown what factors influence parent risk perceptions of the effects of smoking on their child’s health and benefits to the child of cessation.Awareness and Use of Non-conventional Tobacco Products Among U.S. Students, 2012
Increasing diversity of the tobacco product landscape, including electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), hookah, snus, and dissolvable tobacco products (dissolvables), raises concerns about the public health impact of these non-conventional tobacco products among youth.Effects of a Short Messaging Service–Based Skin Cancer Prevention Campaign in Adolescents
Skin cancer prevention emphasizes early adoption and practice of sun protection behaviors. Adolescence represents a high-risk period for ultraviolet radiation exposure, presenting an opportunity for intervention. The ubiquity of mobile phones among teens offers an engaging medium through which to communicate prevention messages.Employee Knowledge of Value-Based Insurance Design Benefits
Value-based insurance designs (VBD) incorporate evidence-based medicine into health benefit design. Consumer knowledge of new VBD benefits is important to assessing their impact on health care use.Awareness of Cancer Susceptibility Genetic Testing: The 2000, 2005, and 2010 National Health Interview Surveys
Genetic testing for several cancer susceptibility syndromes is clinically available; however, existing data suggest limited population awareness of such tests.E-Cigarette Awareness and Perceived Harmfulness: Prevalence and Associations with Smoking-Cessation Outcomes
Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are increasingly advertised as replacements for regular cigarettes or cessation aids for smokers.A Literature Synthesis of Health Promotion Research in Salons and Barbershops
Barbershops and beauty salons are located in all communities and frequented by diverse groups of people, making them key settings for addressing health disparities. No studies have reviewed the growing body of literature describing studies promoting health in these settings. This review summarized the literature related to promoting health within barbershops and beauty salons to inform future approaches that target diverse populations in similar settings.Adult Smokers’ Responses to “Corrective Statements” Regarding Tobacco Industry Deception
To inform consumers, U.S. Federal Courts have ordered the tobacco industry to disseminate “corrective statements” (CSs) about their deception regarding five topics: smoker health effects, nonsmoker health effects, cigarette addictiveness, design of cigarettes to increase addiction, and relative safety of light cigarettes.Effects of Full-Day Kindergarten on the Long-Term Health Prospects of Children in Low-Income and Racial/Ethnic-Minority Populations: A Community Guide Systematic Review
Children from low-income and minority families are often behind higher-income and majority children in language, cognitive, and social development even before they enter school. Because educational achievement has been shown to improve long-term health, addressing these delays may foster greater health equity. This systematic review assesses the extent to which full-day kindergarten (FDK), compared with half-day kindergarten (HDK), prepares children, particularly those from low-income and minority families, to succeed in primary and secondary school and improve lifelong health.Diabetes Education: Quality Improvement Interventions Through Health Departments
As the burden of diabetes continues to overwhelm the public health system, there is increased demand on local health departments (LHDs) to improve public health services. Quality improvement (QI) techniques have been shown to be an effective means to improve the delivery of services by LHDs.Health Literacy: An Opinionated Perspective
This is the first installment of a short series on what I consider to be a hugely important subject.Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Initiation and Awareness: U.S. Young Men in the 2010 National Health Interview Survey
In 2009, the quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine was licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in men/boys aged 9–26 years. In 2009, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) provided a permissive recommendation allowing HPV vaccine administration to this group.Human Trafficking: Review of Educational Resources for Health Professionals
Human trafficking is an increasingly well-recognized human rights violation that is estimated to involve more than 2 million victims worldwide each year. The health consequences of this issue bring victims into contact with health systems and healthcare providers, thus providing the potential for identification and intervention. A robust healthcare response, however, requires a healthcare workforce that is aware of the health impact of this issue; educated about how to identify and treat affected individuals in a compassionate, culturally aware, and trauma-informed manner; and trained about how to collaborate efficiently with law enforcement, case management, and advocacy partners.Improving Low-Wage, Midsized Employers' Health Promotion Practices: A Randomized Controlled Trial
The Guide to Community Preventive Services (Community Guide) offers evidence-based intervention strategies to prevent chronic disease. The American Cancer Society (ACS) and the University of Washington Health Promotion Research Center co-developed ACS Workplace Solutions (WPS) to improve workplaces' implementation of Community Guide strategies.The Effectiveness of Group-Based Comprehensive Risk-Reduction and Abstinence Education Interventions to Prevent or Reduce the Risk of Adolescent Pregnancy, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, and Sexually Transmitted Infections: Two Systematic Reviews for the Guide to Community Preventive Services
Adolescent pregnancy, HIV, and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are major public health problems in the U.S. Implementing group-based interventions that address the sexual behavior of adolescents may reduce the incidence of pregnancy, HIV, and other STIs in this group.Community–Academic Partnerships: How Can Communities Benefit?
In answer to the question of how academic institutions will meet medical education needs and public health challenges of the 21st century, a strong, vibrant, and sustained community partnership has been developed to teach public health, address community public health needs, and develop health policy to sustain these improvements, all with a practical approach. In this paper, the partnership between the University of Vermont College of Medicine and various community agencies is described from the perspective of how the community can benefit from educational efforts in public health.Principles for Authentic Population Health
While there is broad agreement regarding the need to teach population health to all health professional students,1–3 and even substantial consensus about the content that should be included,4 the manner in which we engage student interest in this area of study is less than obvious. For the past 5 academic years, Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) has committed the first 5 weeks of medical education to innovative instruction in population health. In order to engage the students in this educational block, we undertake a detailed introduction to the social demographics and health characteristics of the population of patients from the Cleveland metropolitan area that they will both learn from and serve during their medical school tenure.Impact of Communication on Preventive Services Among Deaf American Sign Language Users
Deaf American Sign Language (ASL) users face communication and language barriers that limit healthcare communication with their providers. Prior research has not examined preventive services with ASL-skilled clinicians.Effects of Healthcare Reforms on Coverage, Access, and Disparities: Quasi-Experimental Analysis of Evidence from Massachusetts
The 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) has been controversial. The potential impact of national healthcare reform may be considered using a similar set of state-level reforms including exchanges and a mandate, enacted in 2006 in Massachusetts.HealthATM: Personal Health Cyberinfrastructure for Underserved Populations
There is an opportunity for personal health record (PHR) systems to play a vital role in fostering health self-management within underserved populations. If properly designed and promoted, it is possible that patients will use PHRs to become more empowered in taking an active role toward managing their health needs.A 2020 Vision for Educating the Next Generation of Public Health Leaders
To meet the dynamic and evolving challenges of public health in the 21st century, our society should foster the next generation of public health leaders. We offer a vision for doing so, by introducing prevention literacy and education from the earliest possible starting point and then broadening these concepts throughout the educational ladder. Making this societal commitment now to nurture such future leaders should make the country healthier by 2020 and beyond.Healthy People 2020 and Education for Health: What Are the Objectives?
The Education for Health framework is designed as an educational roadmap for Healthy People 2020. It aims to connect the educational phases and suggests overall educational strategies needed to educate health professionals and the public to achieve a healthier America. The framework seeks to develop a seamless approach to prevention and population health education from Pre-K through graduate school. The framework is built on national movements in health literacy, undergraduate public health education and evidence-based thinking.Evidence-Based Health Promotion Programs for Schools and Communities
Healthy People 2020 includes an objective to increase the proportion of elementary, middle, and senior high schools that provide comprehensive school health education to prevent health problems in the following areas: unintentional injury; violence; suicide; tobacco use and addiction; alcohol or other drug use; unintended pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and sexually transmitted infections (STI); unhealthy dietary patterns; and inadequate physical activity. These specific goals are part of the efforts of Healthy People 2020 to increase the proportion of elementary, middle, and senior high schools that have health education goals or objectives that address the knowledge and skills articulated in the National Health Education Standards.The Economic Value of Improving the Health of Disadvantaged Americans
Higher educational attainment is associated with better health status and longer life.Broadening the Focus: The Need to Address the Social Determinants of Health
Overcoming Obstacles to Health: a Report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to the Commission to Build a Healthier America1 was issued from the foundation to the commission at the commission's 2008 public launch. The purpose was to present the foundation's rationale for establishing the commission and provide a conceptual framework and scientific guidance for the commission's work, summarizing and translating current knowledge about the social determinants of health for an audience of policymakers and advocates.
