A short-term evaluation of project DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education): preliminary indications of effectiveness.
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Adolescent↗
Biomedical subjects
W DeJong
Publications and source records attributed to W DeJong.
Recent sexually transmitted disease prevention efforts and their implications for AIDS health education.
In the absence of a cure or vaccine for acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) educational and social marketing efforts to reduce the transmission of Human T-lymphotropic type III/lymphadenopathy-associated virus (HTLV-III/LAV) are currently our best hope for controlling the disease. Since 1983, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has funded a series of research studies to determine whether education efforts can successfully motivate the adoption of key behaviors relevant to the control of a variety of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Analysis of the first two studies which are now completed, and preliminary data from a third study, have documented dramatic changes in behavior, knowledge, and attitudes among clients in inner-city public health clinics. The authors describe the principles and underlying assumptions that have guided the design of their STD initiatives, drawing special attention to the implications for AIDS health education efforts.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
The stigma of obesity: the consequences of naive assumptions concerning the causes of physical deviance.
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Adolescent↗
The drug Czar's anti-drug media campaign: continuing concerns.
In reviewing the anti-drug media campaign organized by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), we expressed concern about both its strategic direction and execution (Journal of Health Communication, 1999, 4:2 155-160). The response from ONDCP's director, General Barry R. McCaffrey, still leaves us concerned about the campaign's chances for success. We review ONDCP's strong opposition to including alcohol in the campaign, its continued reliance on fear appeals, and its relative inattention to building support for environmental prevention strategies. We voice again our concerns about ONDCP's underutilization of an expert review committee of behavioral scientists.
Health Policy↗
The status of clinic-based STD patient education: the need for a commitment to innovation in health communication.
Although knowledge of safer sex practices is increasing in high-risk populations, such as STD clinic patients, this knowledge does not often translate into behavior change. As a result, STD reinfection rates among clinic patients remain high, resulting in large numbers of return patient visits. As part of a study to evaluate strategies for improving clinic-based education for patients with STDs, we conducted formative research interviews with inner-city clinic managers or other key staff to identify opportunities for and barriers to enhancing STD patient education. These interviews revealed that most of the inner-city clinics had not introduced any new or innovative health communication strategies in the last several years. A primary barrier to innovation appeared to be the belief that patient needs were sufficiently addressed through one-on-one counseling, an assumption that does not take into account the limitations of this form of provider-patient communication. Another barrier was the emphasis placed on maintaining clinic flow, with little consideration given to how it might be altered to accommodate new educational approaches. We offer recommendations to encourage STD clinics to experiment with new and potentially more powerful health communication methods and to encourage the CDC and other funders to alter their STD service priorities toward improvements in health communication and education. We also offer steps that health communication specialists can take in helping clinics and funders move toward these goals.
Adolescent↗
A critical perspective on the drug czar's antidrug media campaign.
The US government's Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) launched its new antidrug media campaign in July 1998. The campaign is likely to increase awareness of the youth drug problem, but shortcomings in the campaign's early implementation raise questions about its potential for changing behavior. Shortcomings include: a) The first wave of ONDCP's television advertisements are focused on reinforcing problem awareness but do not model skills or provide other information necessary for behavior change; b) the campaign provides insufficient focus on promoting drug treatment and citizen involvement in local prevention activities, including political action; c) the campaign is being implemented without a major new investment in drug-treatment programs or community-based prevention programs; d) The campaign does not substantively address alcohol and tobacco, which pose a clear threat to health and serve as a "gateway" to illicit drug use; and e) the first wave of television advertisements use exaggerated fear appeals, a strategy shown by research rarely to be successful. Only time will tell whether the ONDCP media campaign will succeed or fail. Using past research as a guide, there is legitimate reason for concern that the campaign will not live up to expectations.
Behavior Therapy↗
The impact of a clinic-based educational videotape on knowledge and treatment behavior of men with gonorrhea.
The impact of a ten-minute, soap opera-style videotape on knowledge and treatment behavior of black men with gonorrhea was tested in randomized clinical trials. The videotape, shown to individual patients after diagnosis, produced a sizeable increase in the percentage of patients who returned for their test-of-cure examination: while only 43.3% of control group patients returned, 53.5% of those in the videotape group did so; chi 2(1) = 9.0; P less than 0.003. In a follow-up study, similar results were found: videotape group (59.0%), control group (39.1%); chi 2(1) = 6.2; P less than 0.015. The videotape also produced large, significant increases in patient knowledge, as measured by a test administered during patients' clinic visit (P less than 0.0001). No measureable effect of the videotape was detected on patients' willingness to refer sexual contacts for treatment. The findings suggest that clinic-based educational materials, particularly soap opera-style videotapes that engender audience identification, create emotional significance for the viewer, and model requisite communication skills, may have a significant role to play in control of sexually transmitted diseases.
Adolescent↗