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Objectives. We evaluated the effectiveness of an intervention designed to increase preventive health care seeking among adolescents. Methods. Adolescents and young adults aged 12 to 21 years, recruited from community-based organizations in 2 different communities, were randomized into either a 3-session intervention or a control condition. We estimated outcomes from 3-month follow-up data using logistic and ordinary least squares regression. Results. Female intervention participants were significantly more likely than female control participants to have scheduled a health care appointment (odds ratio [OR]=3.04), undergone a checkup (OR=2.87), and discussed with friends or family members the importance of undergoing a checkup (OR=4.5). There were no differences between male intervention and male control participants in terms of outcomes. Conclusions. This theory-driven, community-based group intervention significantly increased preventive health care seeking among female adolescents. Further research is needed, however, to identify interventions that will produce successful outcomes among male adolescents.

Violent crime is a key social and public issue that significantly contributes to the morbidity and mortality of adolescents and places a significant economic burden on society. Overall, juveniles (legally described as adolescents under 18) are responsible for only 19% of all violent crime committed in the United States. However, the peak age incidence for violent offenders is 18, well within the spectrum of the adolescent age grouping. Over the past 10 years, arrests for juvenile crime have increased by 67%, leading some experts to worry that, given the expected increase in the size of the juvenile population by the year 2010, the number of arrests for juvenile crime will double. Fortunately, there has been a decline in the rates of juvenile violent crime over the past 2 years. This article reviews statistical trends, contributing factors and innovative approaches to prevention and intervention.

Background: Schools have long been recognized as an excellent place to offer health education and supportive services. Teachers are among the most important influences in the lives of school-aged children and can provide valuable insight into the health issues important to adolescents. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential role general academic teachers may play in facilitating adolescent health promotion efforts. Methods: To determine what teachers think about the role of health promotion in schools and what tools and topics they would find most helpful as critical advisers to students, we administered a 28-question survey at staff development meetings in 4 New York City schools. Results: Teachers agreed that schools were an important venue for discussing and providing health messages. More than half of those surveyed reported having overheard student discussions about health once a week or more, and 70% stated that they had been actively approached by students 1-3 or more times per semester with reports of personal problems or health issues. Teachers expressed concern about their ability to handle student mental, behavioral, and reproductive health problems and desired additional staff development workshops to address these needs. Conclusions: Teachers felt that schools were important places to promote dialogue about health and accept the importance of playing a broader role in the lives of youth beyond education. To enhance the prospect of health-promoting interactions between teachers and students, attention must be paid to developing the overall skill and comfort level of teachers with respect to adolescent health concerns.

BACKGROUND: Vulnerable populations suffer disproportionately from a variety of health conditions. Access to health information is an important component of health promotion. Reports suggest that while health providers and print media are traditional sources of information, the Internet may be becoming an increasingly important resource for consumers. Particularly, for parents of urban adolescents of color, the Internet could prove to be a valuable asset in helping them understand adolescent health and behavioral issues. OBJECTIVE: To determine the types of adolescent health and behavioral issues of concern to parents of color and to assess their preference for sources of health information, including the Internet. METHODS: A confidential, self-administered survey was administered to parents (largely of African American and Hispanic descent) of 9th-grade students over a 2-year period during 2001-2002 in Harlem, NY. The instrument assessed health and behavioral topics of concern, preferred resources for information, ownership and utilization patterns of computers and the Internet, and interest in obtaining additional computer/Internet training. RESULTS: A total of 419 surveys were completed; 165 in 2001 (67% response rate) and 254 in 2002 (no response rate available). Analysis of responses indicated a substantial degree of interest in obtaining information about a variety of adolescent health issues, including: HIV, sexually transmitted infections, , mental health concerns and relationships with family and peers. While home ownership of computers (84%) and access to the Internet were reasonably high (74%), use of the Internet for health information was low (14%). However, 62% of parents indicated a strong desire to have more instruction on computers and the Internet. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to other sources of health information, the Internet is underutilized by urban parents of color. Additional research is needed to identify strategies to improve utilization and assess subsequent impact on parenting activities. [J Med Internet Res 2004;6(4):e43]

Retesting 3 to 4 months after treatment for those infected with chlamydia and/or gonorrhea has been recommended.We compared various methods of encouraging return for retesting 3 months after treatment for chlamydia or gonorrhea.In study 1, participants were randomly assigned to: 1) brief recommendation to return, 2) intervention 1 plus $20 incentive paid at return visit, or 3) intervention 1 plus motivational counseling at the first visit and a phone reminder at 3 months. In study 2, participants at 1 clinic were randomly assigned to 4) intervention 1, 5) intervention 1 plus phone reminder, or 6) intervention 1 plus motivational counseling but no telephone reminder.Using multiple logistic regression, the odds ratios for interventions 2 and 3, respectively, compared with intervention 1 were 1.2 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.6-2.5) and 2.6 (95% CI, 1.3-5.0). The odds ratios for interventions 5 and 6 compared with intervention 4 were 18.1 (95% CI, 1.7-193.5) and 4.6 (95% CI, 0.4-58.0).A monetary incentive did not increase return rates compared with a brief recommendation. A reminder phone call seemed to be the most effective method to increase return.

To examine health care providers' expected role in health promotion counseling to urban adolescents from the perspective of parents. Although participating parents wanted health care providers to counsel their adolescents on sensitive health issues, their desires and expectations were rarely met.

Over the past three decades, the influence and importance of social support has been well documented and the findings have suggested a beneficial effect on stress-related situations, mental and physical health, and social functioning. More recently, small group/skills training behavioral interventions have demonstrated success in changing behaviors which affect the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV among populations at risk for these diseases. Studies of support groups to date have been conducted exclusively in research settings where women are offered financial incentives for participation. Little is known about the willingness of women to participate in ongoing support groups after successfully completing a skills training intervention. The present study examines the factors that may influence participation among women in a weekly support group after completing a structured, six session HIV/STD intervention. Both quantitative and qualitative data are collected from 265 women in the intervention arm of a multi-site randomized controlled behavioral intervention trial. Results reveal that less than a quarter (22%) of women participated in at least one support group. Participation varied significantly by site, ranging from 34% to 15% (p = .008). Participation was also strongly linked to recent use of domestic violence services. Qualitative data indicated that although monetary incentives play some role in the woman's decision to participate, other factors are also important. These include program outreach, support group size, salience of the group content, consistency of group leadership from the intervention to the support group, and use of peer leaders along with professional facilitators. Implications for design of post-intervention support groups programs are discussed.