As young adults transition from secondary education to post-secondary education, they enter a time of life when they are able to independently and potentially for the first time make all of their own food decisions. This shift from childhood to young adulthood and the new-found freedom to make food decisions makes students vulnerable to weight…

Nearly all lifelong smokers start as children or young adults, and the tobacco industry targets these specific age groups. A key public health effort to limit the use of tobacco products by people under the age of 21 years is the promotion of the "Tobacco 21" initiative. This initiative promotes and supports efforts to establish bills…

Considering over one-third of the United States' population is now considered obese, childhood obesity has become a highlighted public health concern. Educators and health professionals have spent a significant amount of time examining how to approach the obesity epidemic, specifically childhood obesity, yet there is still no clear solution. An…

The increase of chronic disease in the United States has created a strong demand for health education specialists (HESs) who are trained to facilitate behavioral, environmental and policy changes through program implementation and evaluation. However, it is difficult for colleges and universities to prepare future health educators to be competent…

Community Health Workers (CHWs) serve an indispensable but oftten misunderstood and unrecognized role in public health. These individuals constitute the frontline of health care in many communities and are relied upon to provide an assortment of services. Unfortunately, the full extent to which CHWs are utilized is unknown and there is little…

Awareness of the history of health education efforts is important for health educators. The VD Radio Project, developed in the middle of the 20th century, was a cooperative effort of the United States Public Health Service and Columbia University designed to encourage people to be tested for sexually transmitted infections. How the campaign came…

Advocacy at the local school or school district level has received emphasis as a strategy for improving school health education. The involvement of health educators in advocacy for school health education has been described as "imperative" at all levels of school-based policy. Allensworth's 2010 Society for Public Health Education…

Advocacy for health policies and programs can impact large segments of the population with the goal of promoting and protecting the nation's health. Historically, advocacy has not been viewed as seriously as other components of health education, and involvement in public policy work has been moderate by health education practitioners and health…

Racial/ethnic health disparities start early in life and become exacerbated throughout the life cycle. Schools have the opportunity to reduce the severity of disparities. The purpose of this study was to examine whether journals in school health cover racial/ethnic health disparities and to identify what leading authorities in school health…

Teaching philosophy (TP) statements are increasingly required within academia for hiring and promotion purposes. For health educators, a TP can be a valuable resource for academicians as well as practitioners, linking educational theory with teaching techniques, philosophy with practice. The process of formulating a TP statement provides the…

This review of literature examines leading contributors and mediators of health disparities in the United States. Specifically, poverty, education, and health are addressed. Special emphasis is placed on implications of health risk behaviors and health education for select populations and settings. Existing and suggested strategies for addressing…

A long-term public health goal in the United States involves convincing adolescents to postpone sexual activity or promote responsible sexual activity. This study investigated the effect of using infant simulators on sexuality, child care attitudes and knowledge with a sample of 309 high school students from seven different states. The treatment…

Public health leaders of the 21st century are challenged by increasingly complex problems and escalating expectations amid scarce or shrinking resources. Community and interdisciplinary collaboration holds promise for synergism and capacity building. Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP), the latest…

In this paper, the author shares some thoughts about health education profession, including some things that educators need to do to keep the profession "vital". He also offers some thoughts that educators need to consider as they attempt to respond effectively to the challenges that lie before them now, and face them in the future. He discusses…

This article presents a review of literature pertaining to disease and stigma. Specifically, a definition of stigma is provided along with an historical overview of disease and stigma and research trends related to three public health perils-AIDS, mental illness, and obesity.