| From: |
Gabriel ADEYEMO [ profile ] |
| Subject: |
Targeting school and home helps cut risky behaviors
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| Sent: |
Jan 23rd, 2012 - 06:20:00 |
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SOURCE:* Reuters*
AUTHOR: Genevra Pittman
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/28/us-risky-behaviors-idUSTRE7BR18820111228
Fellow Colleague!
Interventions that successfully prevent drug use and risky sexual behavior
among youths target multiple areas of their lives and often span years, a
recent study found. "To have multiple effects, you can't just have one hour
a day for a few weeks and that's it. It's just like learning math or
reading - you have to keep going over multiple years," said Brian Flay, of
Oregon State University-Corvallis, whose study was among those analyzed in
the systematic review.
Programs should involve "not just the school, but also getting the parents
involved and targeting them," he said. "And even with the school, targeting
the whole school climate and not just the curriculum." Of the 13 studies,
three showed positive effects on at least one measure of drug use and one
of risky sexual behavior.
These were a Chicago-based social development curriculum with parent
support; a Baltimore HIV reduction program involving small groups and
parent monitoring; and a Seattle elementary school progr am teaching school
and family bonding skills. All three interventions targeted
African-American, low-income or high-crime communities, and their
participants rated better than a comparison group on drug use, heavy
drinking, smoking, condom use, and pregnancy.
The researchers wrote that programs targeting multiple domains (individual
and peer, family, school, and community) of risk and protective factors for
risk behavior were generally more effective than those targeting just one
domain. Starting school and community interventions even earlier, in the
preteen years, may be most effective in preventing these risks before they
start, suggested study leader Caroline Jackson, of the Scottish
Collaboration for Public Health Research and Policy in Edinburgh, and
colleagues. However, "further research is needed to determine the
effectiveness of this approach," they concluded.
Click on the link above to read full story.
--
Many Thanks
Yours' in Prevention Science
Gabriel, ADEYEMO
Regional Focal Point - West Africa
Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AID (GYCA)
+234-80-6798-7317 | gabriel (at) gyca.org
www.gyca.org | www.tigweb.org
GYCA is a youth-led global network of over 6,000 young leaders and adult
allies working on youth and HIV/AIDS in 173 countries world-wide. GYCA's
mission is to empower young leaders with the skills, knowledge, resources
and opportunities they need to scale up HIV/AIDS interventions amongst
their peers.
Universal Access is possible; *
*Zero new HIV infections. **Zero discrimination and ***Zero AIDS-related
deaths.***
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