High School Health‐Education Teachers' Perceptions and Practices Related to Teaching HIV Prevention

BACKGROUND: HIV/AIDS is one of the leading causes of illness and death in the United States with individuals between the ages of 13 and 19 years being especially vulnerable for infection. The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes, perceptions, and instructional practices of high school health teachers toward teaching HIV prevention. METHODS: A total of 800 surveys were sent to a national random sample of high school health teachers and 50% responded. RESULTS: There was almost complete agreement (99%) among respondents that HIV prevention instruction is needed. The factors that emerged as significantly influencing the attitudes and perceptions of high school health teachers about teaching HIV prevention were related to teacher preparation, training, and years of experience teaching health education. A state mandate requiring HIV prevention instruction was significantly associated with higher teacher efficacy expectations and more perceived benefits, but did not have a significant influence in relation to practices in the classroom. Characteristics of high school health teachers that were significantly related to attitudes, perceptions, and instructional practices included the instructor's age, sex, and race/ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: High school health teachers who reported the least experience teaching health education had the least supportive attitudes, perceived the most barriers, and had the lowest efficacy and outcome expectations related to teaching about HIV prevention. Whereas these findings support the importance of teacher preparation and training, they also suggest that more recent college graduates may not be fully prepared to provide effective instruction in HIV prevention.     

Diabulimia and the Role of School Health Personnel*

BACKGROUND: Diabulimia, the omission or reduction of insulin use by persons with type 1 diabetes, is a harmful method of weight control. The purpose of this article is to present school health personnel with the information they may need to become more aware of the possibility of diabulimia in their students—especially females—with type 1 diabetes. METHODS: A review of the somewhat limited medical and diabetes-related organizations' literature on diabulimia was conducted to establish the role that school health personnel could play in raising awareness of students with this condition as well as education for diabulimia prevention. RESULTS: Since insulin encourages fat storage, many with type 1 diabetes have discovered the relationship between reducing the amount of insulin they take and corresponding weight loss. Improper regulation of needed insulin treatments poses serious health problems that may require immediate medical attention. CONCLUSION: School personnel, especially those in the Coordinated School Health Program areas of comprehensive school health education, school health services, and guidance and counseling services have key roles to play in the prevention and recognition of diabulimia in students with diabetes.     

Integration of Oral Health Care and Mental Health Services: Dental Hygienists’ Readiness and Capacity for Secondary Prevention of Eating Disorders

Often the first to observe overt health effects of eating disorders, dentists and dental hygienists play a fundamental role in the secondary prevention of eating disorders. The purpose of this study was to explore readiness and capacity for integration of oral health and mental health services. Employing a randomized cross-sectional study based upon the Transtheoretical and Health Belief Models, data were collected from 378 dental hygienists. Results reveal that the majority do not currently engage in secondary prevention practices. Only 18% of respondents indicated referring patients exhibiting oral manifestations of eating disorders to treatment. Significantly increasing the likelihood of assessment, referral, and case management included modifying factors regarding greater perceived self-efficacy, and knowledge of oral cues of disordered eating, as well as the individual’s perception pertaining to severity of eating disorders. Implications for bridging dental care to mental health services include increasing behavioral capacity among dental hygienists via consciousness raising and improved self-efficacy. Stacey B. Plichta ScD, is an associate professor of School of Community and Environmental Health, Old Dominion University, 140c Spong Hall, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA. Lisa A. Tedesco PhD, is a vice president and secretary of The University of Michigan, 2014 Fleming Administration Building, 503 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1340, USA. Wendy E. Kerschbaum, RDH, MPH, is an associate professor and director of Dental Hygiene in the Department of Periodontics, Prevention, & Geriatrics, University of Michigan, School of Dentistry, 1011 N. University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078, USA.     

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions about Breast Cancer and Breast Cancer Screening Among Hispanic Women Residing in South Central Pennsylvania

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions about breast cancer, and screening behaviors among Hispanic women in Pennsylvania. Eight focus groups were conducted with Hispanic women to obtain answers to the questions of interest. Results, based on content analysis, showed that cultural factors, such as family and fatalism, influence breast cancer knowledge and screening among this group. In addition, these women had some misconceptions regarding breast cancer and breast cancer detection screening. Most participants reported that they would like to receive breast cancer education in Spanish from health care providers or health educators. These results can help health professionals, including health educators, in the development of suitable breast cancer education and screening promotion programs for Hispanic women. This study was funded by the Research Council of The Penn State Capital College.     

Sexual Harassment Policies in Florida School Districts

ABSTRACT: Until recently, little attention has focused on the sexual harassment that occurs in primary and secondary schools. Several school-related lawsuits and study results heightened awareness of the issue. This study investigated the extent to which Florida's school districts complied with the Florida Department of Education's (FDOE) recommendation and guidelines for addressing sexual harassment in schools. District equity coordinators were surveyed regarding policy development, implementation, promotion, education, and effects. Policies were collected for analysis. Most districts responded to the strong encouragement of the FDOE and approved a sexual harassment policy incorporating many of the suggested components. However, policies included only basic information when compared with suggestions from the literature. Results suggest problems with sexual harassment will continue due to lack of efforts in promoting awareness of the policy and education about the issue, which scholars insist are necessary for effectiveness     

The effect of chair massage on stress perception of hospital bedside nurses

This study supports the findings of Katz et al. (1999) in showing that massage therapy can be effective in reducing stress perception in nurses within the hospital setting during the course of the workday, at least in the short-term. Since stress has been linked to burn-out (Keane et al., 1985) as well as decreased productivity (McLeroy et al., 1984) and increased absenteeism (Seamonds, 1983), the use of stress reducing interventions might prove to be worthwhile investments on nursing floors not only for the present but for future staffing management. With the nursing shortage predicted to increase over the next decade as baby boomer nurses retire and this age group population predicted to require greater healthcare services, it seems that measures to support nurses would be beneficial. Further study on the longer term effects of chair massage in the workplace setting on stress perception for nurses would be helpful as well as the effects on absenteeism and productivity. Chair massage has been shown to positively affect alertness and math computations (Field et al., 1996). Could this, then, translate into decreased nursing errors, enhanced patient care, and overall increased job satisfaction for hospital bedside nurses? There are implications here for study with other workplace populations who are in stress-loaded jobs, such as traffic control operators, physicians, medical residents, police officers, firefighters, and military personnel.Given the number of nurses who were able to take the time to participate in the study, it also supports the feasibility of providing this as an alternative to a standard break time during a shift. The 85% participation rate does reflect, however, the unpredictability of hospital bedside nursing. Many of those who were not able to participate, although they had signed up to do so, were faced with patient care responsibilities at the time of their scheduled session. One example of this occurred on the first day during the 1st shift hours on the maternity floor when there were two emergent cesarean sections scheduled sequentially, which pulled staff from post-partum and the nursery as well as those in labor and delivery. Such is the nature of the work in a hospital setting. Would the participation rate increase if chair massage were offered on a frequent basis for a long period of time such that it became a routine part of the workday or would it not be utilized? Further research is warranted to study the feasibility of providing chair massage on a regularly scheduled basis on a nursing unit as well as its impact on other aspects of a nursing position, such as, job satisfaction, retention, absenteeism, injury, and worker's compensation claims. Additionally, it would be beneficial to study the effects of chair massage with individuals in other occupations that are identified as being high stress and burnout occupations.     

Cannabis and work: Need for more research

Cannabis sativa is one of the oldest and most widely used plants in the world with a variety of industrial, medical, and nonmedical applications. Despite its long history, cannabis-derived products remain a source of controversy across the fields of medicine, law, and occupational safety and health. More favorable public attitudes about cannabis in the US have resulted in greater access to cannabis through legalization by states, leading to more consumption by workers. As more states adopt cannabis access laws, and as more workers choose to consume cannabis products, the implications for existing workplace policies, programs, and practices become more salient. Past workplace practices were grounded in a time when cannabis consumption was always viewed as problematic, considered a moral failing, and was universally illegal. Shifting cultural views and the changing legal status of cannabis indicate a need for research into the implications and challenges relating to cannabis and work. This commentary suggests research needs in the following areas: (a) data about industries and occupations where cannabis consumption among workers is most prevalent; (b) adverse health consequences of cannabis consumption among workers; (c) workplace supported recovery programs; (d) hazards to workers in the emerging cannabis industry; (e) relationship between cannabis consumption and occupational injuries; (f) ways to assess performance deficits and impairment from cannabis consumption; (g) consumption of synthetic cannabinoids to evade detection by drug testing; (h) cannabis consumption and its effect on occupational driving; and (i) ways to craft workplace policies and practices that take into consideration conflicting state and federal laws pertaining to cannabis.