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Compared data for 7,839 female high school students with regard to risk-taking behavior related to sexuality to similar data for 141 high-performance female high school athletes. Findings suggest that participation in a high performance sports activity is positively associated with some reduced sexual risk-taking behaviors for adolescent females. (SLD)

This paper describes the evaluation of a mixed-gender workshop given to all freshman athletes from a large eastern university. A randomized post-test only experimental design was used to compare the [...]

Sexual behaviors of adolescents place them at a high risk for HIV and other sexually transmissible infections. Studies of sexual risk-taking and other health compromising practices by youth in countries other than the United States are relatively rare. Examination of health practice across cultures provides insights with respect to explaining international differences in disease rates, helps predict future trends in disease transmission, and identifies health education needs of particular populations or settings. Sexual behavioral risk factors were studied in a sample of 1,090 youth (mean age = 14 years) in Moscow using a translated version of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (YRBS) survey developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Only 26.3% of Muscovite youth report being taught about HIV/AIDS infection in school, and just 41.7% indicate discussion of HIV/AIDS occurred with parents or other familial adults. Overall, 15.7% of females and 23.7% of males report at least one sexual intercourse in their lifetime. About 8.8% of the sample reported participation in sexual intercourse before age 12, and 34.9% indicated having had sexual intercourse with four or more partners. Concomitant use of alcohol and other drugs is common (24.4%) prior to the most recent intercourse, and use of a condom occurs in fewer than half (41.7%) of recent sexual episodes. (J Sch Health. 1996;66(3):102-105), Heterosexual intercourse will account for a projected 75% to 80% of all infections worldwide related to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) by the year 2000.[1] This shift in rates of [...]

Results from several national monitoring surveys indicate adolescent substance use remains a dominant public health problem.|1-4~ An estimated one in four American adolescents is at high risk for use of [...], A cross-sectional survey design investigated the relationship of school and home self-esteem to history of substance use, membership in alternative education (non-mainstream) school programs, gender, and race. Self-esteem was assessed using the Hare Self-Esteem Scale. Four hundred eleven sixth grade students completed the survey. Results revealed home self-esteem related inversely to tobacco use (F = 15.39, df = 2,343, p |is less than~ .0001), alcohol use (F= 12.08, df = 2,343, p |is less than~ .0001), and use of other drugs (F= 12.28, df = 2,338, p |is less than~ .0001), Similarly, school self-esteem related inversely to tobacco use (F = 15.47, df = 2,354, p |is less than~ .0001), alcohol use (F= 8.74, df = 2,353, p = .00023, and use of other drugs (F= 9.30, df = 2,350, p |is less than~ .0001). Regardless of type of drug, recent users had the lowest self-esteem scores on both subscales and never users had the highest scores. Subjects enrolled in non-mainstream programs had significantly lower home and school self-esteem scores than did subjects in mainstream classes. Race and gender were not associated significantly with self-esteem. Implications for youth substance use prevention and research are discussed. (J Sch Health. 1993;63(5):224-228)

Previous research has indicated a gap in the study of professional experiences and professional development for secondary health and physical education teachers across the nation. During the Fall Semester of 2013, 346 secondary health and physical education teachers across the state of Kentucky were sent an electronic copy of the Kentucky Health and Physical Education Profile Survey via e-mail. Of those 346 participants, 96 completed the on-line survey for a response rate of 27.7%. The Kentucky Health and Physical Education Profile Survey was utilized to assess secondary (9th-12th grade) health and physical education teachers' professional experiences and perceptions. Questions related to professional experiences and expertise included: years taught; number of subjects taught; class scheduling; average number of students and minutes taught for each class; required textbooks, professional development preferences; and, coaching experience and impact on teaching. Additional questions focused on teachers' perceptions of their school administrators, fellow teachers, and parents' attitudes towards health and physical education. The results showed that teachers' age influenced response patterns. For instance, teachers over the age of forty were significantly more likely to possess an undergraduate degree in physical education only compared to degrees in both health and physical education degrees for younger teachers (p<.05), and as a result, teachers older than forty were significantly more likely to have a minor compared to younger teachers (p<.05). Furthermore, teachers over the age of forty were significantly more likely to report coaching duties to positively impact their teaching compared to younger teaching coaches (p<.05). Finally, teachers younger than forty were significantly more likely to report current KAHPERD membership compared to older teachers (p<.05). The results may imply a need to stress or emphasize a certain type of training, certification program, or awareness of certain issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article compares HIV risk behaviors of adolescents among U.S. Hispanic and Dominican Republic youth. Studies of the risk behaviors of students can assist in explaining observed differences in disease rates, preventing trends in transmission and identifying health education needs. A cross-tabulation data were compared revealing significant differences in AIDS education at school, discussions, condom use and past experience with sexually transmitted diseases. However both adolescent groups are at risk but with different mediating factors.

Investigates tobacco use of students in Moscow, Russia using a translated version of the United States Centers for Disease and Prevention's Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (YRBS) survey. Percentage of tobacco users by age; Gender differences in tobacco use; Model of cigarette smoking behavior by adult Muscovites.