Education Prevention Activities Research Articles

Teachers' perspectives on their role in school-based alcohol and cannabis prevention

Schools are an important setting for the implementation of health education–prevention initiatives. Teachers are valuable partners in the delivery of health and social material, including that relating to alcohol and drugs. However, school-based substance education–prevention often exists in competition with academic agendas. The research aimed to investigate teacher's perspectives in Ireland on their role and that of the school in the delivery of school-based alcohol and cannabis education–prevention. Irish school-based drug education–prevention is currently provided within the remit of the Social Personal Health Education (SPHE) module, which is a compulsory element of the curriculum within secondary schools. Thirteen second-level schools partook in the research. A teacher questionnaire collected information around teacher's experiences of student alcohol and cannabis use, attitudes toward teacher and school prevention roles, and levels of school satisfaction (n = 131). The results indicated that teacher's experiences of effects of student alcohol and cannabis use in school were rare. Over half of teachers had never partaken in education–prevention activities, with those delivering SPHE teachers more likely to partake and report a positive attitude toward school-based alcohol and cannabis education–prevention. Teacher levels of satisfaction with their school were positively correlated with attitude toward the teacher and school's role in alcohol and cannabis education–prevention. High awareness of school drug and alcohol policies was recorded, along with the need for training, support, and information for all teachers. The findings underscore the need for ‘whole school’ integrated approaches involving a shared organization-wide approach to student substance education–prevention.

Evaluation of California's in-school tobacco use prevention education (TUPE) activities using a nested school-longitudinal design, 2003–2004 and 2005–2006

BackgroundCurrent legislative language requires the California Department of Public Health, California Tobacco Control Program, to evaluate the effectiveness of the school-based Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) programme in California every...

Rangeland Invasive Plant Management

lands provide a valuable resource for wildlife and recreational activities, as well as livestock grazing. The establishment and spread of invasive plants on rangeland are often symptomatic of long-term cultural practices.3 Invasion of many rangeland sites by non-native plants has been facilitated by multiple factors including overgrazing by domestic livestock, purposeful introduction of non-native plants for agricultural purposes, unintentional introduction of non-native plant seeds as a contaminate in crop seed, changes in fire frequency and intensity, and climatic changes that converge to cause shifts in plant community composition. There are over 300 rangeland weeds in the United States, but perhaps 30 have significant negative impact in the western United States.2 Of these, some of the most problematic include downy brome or cheatgrass {Bromus tectorum), medusahead {Taeniatherum caput-medusae), leafy spurge {Euphorbia esula)> perennial pepperweed {Lepidium latifolium), Dalmatian toadflax {Linaria dalmatica), and several members of the Asteraceae, including yellow starthistle {Centaurea solstitialis), diffuse knapweed (C. diffusa), spotted knapweed {C. stoebe subsp. micranthos), musk thistle {Carduus nutans), Canada thistle {Cirsium arvense), hawkweeds {Hieracium spp.), and Russian knapweed {Acroptilon repens). These and other invasive plants can have adverse effects on rangeland and pastures by disrupting vegetation dynamics and reducing ecosystem capacity to recover after disturbance.3 The financial impacts of invasive plants in rangelands are substantial and have been estimated to cost ranchers US$5 billion annually just for control.4 Other impacts to the livestock industry not included in the estimate are the negative effects of invasive plants on yield and quality of forage, livestock poisoning, interference with grazing, supplemental costs associated with managing and producing livestock, and land values. In addition to the livestock industry, invasive rangeland species can decrease wildlife habitat and forage, deplete soil and water resources, and reduce plant and animal diversity. Mechanical, cultural, biological, and chemical methods have been developed to manage rangeland invasive plants. These methods include mowing, prescribed burning, appropriate grazing management, herbicides, biocontrol agents, and revegetation with desirable plants.1 The merits of each control measure and potential for complementary or synergistic interactions when applied in appropriate sequences and combinations should be considered when developing integrated weed management programs. For example, summer burning resulted in a dramatic increase in yellow starthistle germination the following fall and winter.5 Thus, using an herbicide treatment in the year following a prescribed burn gave far better control of yellow starthistle compared with an herbicide treatment followed by prescribed burning. Successful integrated strategies require careful planning that incorporates a long-term approach consisting of prevention programs, education activities, and management approaches. These are designed to diminish negative impacts of invasive plants by improving the invaded plant community to increase its ecosystem function, niche occupation, and competitiveness. These qualities can increase the communities' resistance to reinvasion by other invasive plants.3

PReVALeNCIA De ANTICUeRPoS CoNTRA LePToSPIRA eN PeRSoNAS ASINToMÁTICAS Y eN PeRRoS De ChANCAY, LIMA 2001

Objectives. To determine the prevalence of antibodies against Leptospiras in asymptomatic persons engaged in agriculture, fisheries and trade, and domestic dogs from Chancay (Huaral, Lima). Material and methods. Cross sectional survey, serum samples were taken from 268 residents of three localities, who were assessed of the presence of total antibodies against Leptopsiras by IgG ELISA and microagglutionation test (MAT). We founded the associated factors with positive Leptospiras calculating OR and 95% confidence interval. By de same token, it took serum samples from 241 dogs to be tested for MAT Results. The prevalence of antibodies against Leptospira in asymptomatic persons was 10.1% (95%CI: 6.3-13.9), wich was associated tith water supply for consumption in creek or pit (OR: 3.48, 95%CI: 1.398.74), with the history of swimming in the river or canal (OR: 4.75, 95%CI: 1.51-14.92) and have an age between 21-40 years (OR: 2.47, 95%CI: 1.10-5.52). The most frequent serovars were Icterohaemorrhagiae and Canicola according MAT. In dogs, 27.8% (67/241) had positive serology to Leptospiras. Conclusions. There is a median prevalence of positive serology for Leptospiras in the asymptomatic general population and encouraging conditions for the presence of Leptospiras in the localities studied. In this areas is recommended frequent preventive educational activities, taking in to account the results of this study and health personnel to be suspected of Leptospirosis as a cause of febrile syndrome.

Experiência extramural em hospital público e a promoção da saúde bucal coletiva

To describe a teaching aid activity aimed at providing experience for promoting collective oral health to graduating dental students. This experience was based on the evaluation of students' performance as oral health educators as they had, among other duties, to motivate inpatients and their families to practice healthy habits aiming at a comprehensive and more human care of hospitalized patients. The results show that oral hygiene was incorporated into hospital routine, evidenced by the differences between baseline and final dental biofilm indices (1.72 and 1.17, respectively). Using the U-Mann-Whitney test, this difference was extremely significant (p<0.001) and reveals that mother-child were highly motivated with respect to oral hygiene. It is concluded that teaching-learning experiences derived from interdisciplinary and interdisciplinary activities have allowed for a better understanding of the health-disease process by dental students. It is also an opportunity for learning about planning and implementing education-prevention activities, which complement these students' technical-professional experience and promotes social sensitivity, which is essential to professional training.

PREVALENCIA DE LEPTOSPIROSIS Y FACTORES DE RIESGO EN PERSONAS CON ANTECEDENTES DE FIEBRE EN LA PROVINCIA DE MANU, MADRE DE DIOS, PERÚ

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of leptospirosis and its risk factors in persons presenting with fever in mining areas (gold search at the riverbanks), and the prevalence of infection in dogs in Manu province, Madre de Dios department, Peru. Material and methods: Analytic cross-sectional study. 71 blood samples were taken from persons presenting with fever who came from five mining areas. The presence of IgM and IgG antibodies against Leptospira were determined using an ELISA method and a micro-agglutination test (MAT). Results: 71 persons were assessed, 47 (66,2%) were female and 24 (33,8%) were male; 26 (36,6%) had antibodies against Leptospira. The risk factors associated to Leptospira infection in these persons were as follows: to use river water in their household (OR= 9,09, p= 0,017), to use river water in the field (OR= 7,13, p= 0,042), to swim in the river (OR= 4,60, p= 0,13), to live in a house with a plastic and straw roof (OR= 4,04, p= 0,013). In dogs, 18 (66,6%) had a positive serology for Leptospira. Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of leptospirosis in persons presenting with fever and favorable conditions for the development of this infection in the studied areas. It is recommended that preventive educational activities should be performed, taking into account the risk factors identified.

Supporting community-based prevention and health promotion initiatives: developing effective technical assistance systems.

As research evidence for the effectiveness of community-based prevention has mounted, so has recognition of the gap between research and community practice. As a result, state and local governments are taking a more active role in building the capacity of community-based organizations to deliver evidence-based prevention interventions. Innovations are taking place in the establishment of technical assistance or support systems to influence the prevention and health education activities of community-based organizations. Several challenges for technical assistance systems are described: (1) setting prevention priorities and allocating limited technical assistance resources, (2) balancing capacity-building versus program dissemination efforts, (3) collaborating across categorical problem areas, (4) designing technical assistance initiatives with enough "dose strength" to have an effect, (5) balancing fidelity versus adaptation in program implementation, (6) building organizational cultures that support innovation, and (7) building local evaluative capacity versus generalizable evaluation findings.

Parents' perceptions of a school-based prevention education program.

There are few studies of parents' views about prevention education in general, or about specific prevention education activities. Yet, their perceptions are important because families are a primary socialization source, and because parents' opinions can either reinforce or countermand the message of prevention education programs. This article is an analysis of parents' views of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program based on a statewide survey of adults from rural, suburban, and urban communities who had a child participate in the program within the past year. Parent involvement and knowledge of D.A.R.E. was high. Generally, parents were very positive about D.A.R.E., especially when they viewed the D.A.R.E. officer as an effective educator. This article suggests that much more research on parents' views and support of prevention education program needs to be conducted, especially within the context of how their perceptions may mediate the influence of the prevention effort on young people's attitudes and behaviors about substance use.

Cumulative effects of prevention education on substance use among 11th grade students in Ohio.

This article examines participation in school-based prevention activities from a statewide sample of 11th grade students in Ohio. About 42% of subjects indicated they had never been involved in a prevention education activity. Differences existed in mean number of activities by both gender and White/nonWhite status. Popular prevention education activities included participation in D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) at elementary, junior high, and senior high levels, "Just Say No Clubs"; Quest; and Red Ribbon Week. Only a small proportion of youth participated exclusively in any one of these activities. An association existed between student participation in prevention education and level of drug involvement. Students in each activity had lower mean scores for drug involvement when compared to students who had never participated in a prevention education activity. Also, the lowest mean scores occurred among students who had participated in multiple prevention activities.

In-depth continuing education for clergy in mental health: Ten years of a large scale program

This paper describes an interdenominational continuing education program for parish clergy in the mental health dimension of pastoral work. The program is in its eleventh year and has reached a significant proportion of the clergy, representing a wide range of religious, ethnic, and socio-economic groups, within a large urban community. The format utilizes case-oriented, small group discussion focused on the clergy's own pastoral work. It emphasizes preventive educational activities along with the development of basic counseling and mental health skills. Ongoing evaluation indicates that the program constitutes an effective, economical, and flexible tool for continuing education with clergy.