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Purpose: The purpose of this research was to determine whether university students who participated in conceptually based physical education (CPE) would achieve greater positive improvements in their physical fitness level, compared to students in traditional activity- and skills-based physical education (ASPE). Method: This was a pilot study based on an experimental design consisting of 2 intervention groups of CPE (n = 27) and ASPE (n = 29) students who were required to participate in fitness preassessments and postassessments scheduled accordingly during the semester at a medium-sized Midwestern university in the United States. Results: Descriptive and paired samples t test analyses indicated that all students made physical fitness improvements; however, no significant between-group differences were found based on ANOVA analysis. Conclusion: Most of the students showed gains in physical fitness; as a result, students benefited from participating in both types of physical education courses. There is a need for physical education in colleges and universities, and whether in the form of CPE or ASPE, these courses will benefit all students. CPE courses will merely extend further opportunity for the cultivation of physical and health education, as well as potentially improve motivation, attitudes, and behaviors toward exercise during the semester of course enrollment and beyond.

High-risk drinking (HRD) is a public health priority on college campuses in order to decrease harm to individuals who engage in HRD, as well as others in their presence. We posit an underexplored impact of campus HRD culture: the exposure of marginalized students to instances of bias perpetrated by those under the influence. Therefore, our focus on the reduction of HRD is not just about the health of drinkers but is also about the dynamics of interpersonal factors and community-level factors that can be upstream determinants of chronic stress and illness, particularly for marginalized college students. We argue that more attention should be paid to the intersection of HRD and intersections with social justice violations. Furthermore, we propose a model based on existing research that connects HRD with incidents of bias that increase stress, thereby negatively impacting well-being and increasing risk for chronic mental and physical illness. We ask our colleagues to incorporate these effects into their data collection, programming, prevention and treatment priorities, and allocation of efforts. Adding a social justice lens to HRD prevention and treatment on campuses expands our ability to ensure that all members of our diverse, inclusive communities thrive while on campus and throughout their lives.

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to explore PE in higher education through the offering of traditional activity- and skills-based physical education (ASPE) and conceptually based physical education (CPE) courses and to conduct an exploratory content analysis on the CPE available to students in randomized colleges and universities in the Southeastern United States. Method: A randomized sample of 56 institutions was screened to determine if PE and CPE courses were offered and/or required, followed by a closer examination of the CPE courses. Results: Preliminary research indicated that 73% of the institutions required PE as a general education requirement, 77% offered CPE, and 46% included CPE in the general education requirements. Further research suggested that upon comparison to national health- and PE-related standards and recommendations, many course content analysis criteria dependent variables including course components, description and objectives, curriculum, and evaluation scored 50% or higher, which indicated shared characteristics among all of the CPE courses. Conclusions: PE and CPE are important components of higher education, with the majority of the institutions in this sample including PE in their general education requirements. In addition, most of these institutions offered CPE, with nearly half stipulating a CPE requirement. More specifically, this sample of CPE courses shared many commonalities. Programming combining health education concepts in the classroom and regular PA and exercise in a laboratory setting may encourage students to have active, healthy lifestyles during the semester of enrollment that can be continued later in life., A variety of physical education (PE) programs are being offered in higher education, including activity- or skills-related physical education (ASPE) and conceptually based physical education (CPE). Basic ASPE instructional programs [...]

While debates about adolescent sexuality education persist in the United States, little attention has been paid to adult sexuality education. Research suggests that teachable moments may be present in interactions between adult bookstore employees and the consumers who shop at these venues. The purpose of this study was to explore the potential for in-home sex-toy parties as an avenue for adult sexuality education for women. A total of 1197 women who facilitate in-home sex-toy parties for a large US-based company completed an online questionnaire related to their experiences facilitating these parties. As part of this larger survey, participants reported in an open-ended question the three most commonly asked questions they received when facilitating a party in the previous three months. Questions reported (n = 3149) were analyzed for commonalities using qualitative methods. Resulting themes were then compared with Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) guidelines for comprehensive sexuality education to assess the potential for teachable moments at the events. Of the 36 topical areas identified by SIECUS, 31 areas were represented in questions reported by consultants indicating a strong potential for teachable moments related to sexuality education. In-home sex-toy parties may provide an additional avenue through which to increase adult sexual literacy. (Contains 3 tables.)

Sexual compulsivity has been associated with higher frequencies of sexual behaviors that may increase risk for transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI). In a rural midwestern region where social and community resources for the sexual health of men who have sex with men (MSM) are relatively few, the patterns of partner-seeking and sexual behavior, and their relations to sexual compulsivity, may be different than findings from other assessments of men in urban centers. Using a community-based participatory approach (CBPR), data were collected from 309 men who were primarily white, identified as gay or homosexual, and had a mean age of 29.37 years (SD = 11.33), to explore relations between scores on a measure of sexual compulsivity and their sexual partner-seeking, drug and alcohol use, and sexual behaviors with men and women. The majority of men reported having engaged in sexual activity with men in the past 30 days. Those scoring higher than the sample mean (1.65 [SD = 0.66]) on the sexual compulsivity measure reported patterns of having sex with partners met online and having been the insertive or receptive partner in unprotected anal intercourse. Given the unique patterns of sexual partner-seeking in this area, interventions to decrease sexual risk-taking should take into account that the vast majority of men in rural areas are using the Internet to locate sexual partners, and prevention messages focused on rural contexts need to be tailored to include men who have a propensity for sexually compulsive behaviors. Additionally, interventions created for virtual spaces may be more sustainable with rural communities than traditional approaches to HIV/STI prevention. DOI: 10.1089/apc.2010.0117

Among men who have sex with men (MSM), sexual compulsivity has been associated with higher frequencies of sexual behaviors that may increase risk for transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI). In a Midwestern region where social and community resources for MSM are relatively diffuse, the patterns of partner-seeking and sexual behavior, and their relations to sexual compulsivity, may be different than findings from most other assessments of men in large urban areas. Using a community-based participatory approach (CBPR) and a cross-sectional survey, quantitative data were collected between November 2006 and January 2007 from 504 men related to sexual compulsivity, sexual partner-seeking, and sexual behavior. We sought to explore sexual behaviors in venues where men reported meeting sexual partners, based on their level of compulsivity. Venues that could be characterized as 'sexualized' were better predictors of higher sexual compulsivity scores among men than those that are 'social' in nature. Men who were higher in compulsivity reported patterns of saturating sexualized venues in order to find sexual partners. Given the unique patterns of sexual partner-seeking in this area, interventions to decrease sexual risk-taking should take into account that men who have a higher propensity for sexual compulsivity are visiting multiple venues, and prevention messages need to be tailored to be consistent across these contexts. In addition, these may need to be differentially designed based on the specific environment in which they are to be delivered.

Women are less likely than men are to report receiving oral sex from their partners. Elements of sexual subjectivity may have implications for women's communication of consent to specific sexual acts. Sexually active women (n= 237) between 18 and 71 years of age (M= 28.85 years) completed an online survey measuring sociodemographic variables, entitlement to pleasure from partner, self-efficacy in achieving sexual pleasure, and consent communication at last receptive oral sex event. Participants were predominantly White (84.8%,n= 201) and in exclusive or monogamous sexual relationships (54.9%,n= 130). The authors used a 4-step test of mediation to determine whether self-efficacy in achieving sexual pleasure mediated the relation between entitlement to pleasure from partner and verbal consent communication. Self-efficacy emerged as a significant predictor of verbal consent communication (p<.01) in the fourth step, while entitlement to pleasure dropped out of the model (p>.05), indicating full mediation. Therefore, entitlement to pleasure predicted verbal consent to oral sex as a function of self-efficacy in achieving sexual pleasure. Sex-positive educational interventions may improve disparities between men and women in receiving oral sex from their partners. Results of this study offer insight into the ways in which culture-level forces affect interpersonal and intraindividual sexual health behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]