Journal of School Health最新文献

Background: Weight stigma is prevalent among adolescents and can negatively impact physical and mental health. This study examined the effects of a combined physical activity and attitude education intervention on weight stigma and related outcomes among high school students.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 524 high school students. The intervention group received a 3-month program combining physical activity education and anti-stigma attitude training. Outcomes measured included the use of weight loss medication, physical activity levels, weight loss, and depressive symptoms.

Results: The intervention group showed significant decreases in weight loss medication use and depressive symptoms, and increases in physical activity levels compared to the control group. No significant differences were observed in weight loss between groups. Gender differences were noted, with girls showing greater improvements in physical activity.

Implications: Findings support integrating weight stigma reduction strategies into school health programs. Schools should adopt attitude modification approaches, promote inclusive physical activities, and foster social support to address weight stigma and associated depression symptoms.

Conclusions: Combining physical activity and attitude education can effectively reduce weight stigma and improve health behaviors among high school students. Future research should explore long-term effects and tailored approaches for different student populations.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic elevated mental health needs among students. As such, in 2022 Chicago Public Schools (CPS) introduced the Comprehensive Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Policy to deliver mental health awareness and services to all pK-12th grade students. While transitioning back to in-person learning, an evaluation was conducted in the 2022-2023 school year to identify current practices and barriers of delivery, and identify lessons learned to support the policy in schools.

Methods: Interviews were conducted with 30 staff members who delivered mental health services. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and thematically coded.

Results: Themes identified in the interview highlighted barriers to providing mental health supports included: 1) overwhelming number of mental health cases with limited time and capacity; 2) mental health stigma among families and staff, and 3) the lack of diversity representation among mental health professionals in schools and the communities. Implications for School Health Policy, Practice, and Equity: CPS prioritized and elevated awareness of resources, training sessions and policies guidance through toolkits, newsletters, mandated trainings, and communication about new state mental health laws.

Conclusions: The pandemic disrupted mental health services and illuminated critical barriers to access. CPS' Office of Student Health and Wellness used these findings to provide additional training and technical assistance for staff, families, and the community.

Background: Additive manufacturing or 3-dimensional (3D) printing is an emerging technology with increasing prevalence in non-industrial settings such as university and school settings. However, printers are often located in spaces not designed for this purpose.

Methods: 3D-printer use in 11 university and K-12 schools was evaluated by identifying emissions using area air sampling for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particle counting instruments (PCIs) measuring ultrafine particulate (UFP) and evaluating controls to reduce potential exposure. Ventilation in printer locations was also characterized.

Results: VOCs and UFP were identified during 3D printing. Best-practice recommendations were provided to school health and safety staff to protect users, including workers and students. Recommendations included installing and implementing engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure to 3D printer emissions.

Implications: School health and safety staff can translate findings and recommendations for these 11 evaluations to identify 3D-printing areas on their campuses and use principles of industrial hygiene to protect workers and students and prevent the movement of emissions.

Conclusions: VOCs and UFP were detected during 3D printing. There were opportunities to improve health and safety practices and reduce potential exposure when using 3D printing technologies.

Background: Concussion-related guidelines appear to be inconsistently implemented in secondary schools in Aotearoa New Zealand. The purpose of this qualitative Participatory Action Research study was to describe key school stakeholders' perceptions of their current concussion management processes.

Methods: Seventeen focus groups, two dyad, and nine individual interviews were conducted with stakeholders (n = 95) from six secondary schools and healthcare clinics, exploring their perceptions of barriers and facilitators to concussion management. We used thematic analysis to analyze data.

Results: Our analysis identified five overarching and inter-relating themes: Hit or miss, the need for a clear pathway; the school context; aligning attitudes and enacting values; concussion knowledge and education; and complexity of concussion. The effectiveness of concussion management in secondary school settings is shaped by the dynamic interaction of these five themes.

Implications for school health policy, practice, and equity: These findings highlight the need to develop a context-sensitive framework that can assist schools with real-world implementation of concussion management guidelines, for both sports and non-sports related concussions.

Conclusions: The intent to support students was evident among most stakeholders yet appeared to be limited by lack of structured processes to follow, resources, unfavorable attitudes towards concussion management, and lack of knowledge.

Background: This practice paper exemplifies a systematic approach used to learn about existing mental well-being programs for youth 11-14 years to inform curriculum development for after-school settings.

Methods: We reviewed 3389 mental well-being programs from publicly accessed databases and conducted a content analysis using inductive and deductive coding to explore the domains each program addressed.

Results: Through our content analysis of the final eight programs, we found strong alignment with the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) core social-emotional competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and decision-making.

Implications for practice: Although using established processes (e.g., PICO, CFIR) to review public databases is an effective research strategy, engaging in research-intensive endeavors is time consuming and may not be practical for after-school administration. The benefits of community-academic partnerships, such as EMPOWER, are highlighted as an approach, and opportunity, to promote evidence-based research practices to inform programming in community organizations.

Conclusion: Enhancing youth social emotional competencies is an important means to supporting youth mental well-being. Incorporating a systematic approach to select youth mental well-being programs provides a structure, for our EMPOWER project, that can steer the choice of curricula to meet the needs of after-school program contexts.