Leah Robin

The association between school-based physical activity, including physical education, and academic performance: A systematic review of the literature☆ , ☆☆

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this review is to synthesize the scientific literature that has examined the association between school-based physical activity (including physical education) and academic performance (including indicators of cognitive skills and attitudes, academic behaviors, and academic achievement). METHOD Relevant research was identified through a search of nine electronic databases using both physical activity and academic-related search terms. Forty-three articles (reporting a total of 50 unique studies) met the inclusion criteria and were read, abstracted, and coded for this synthesis. Findings of the 50 studies were then summarized. RESULTS Across all the studies, there were a total of 251 associations between physical activity and academic performance, representing measures of academic achievement, academic behavior, and cognitive skills and attitudes. Slightly more than half (50.5%) of all associations examined were positive, 48% were not significant, and 1.5% were negative. Examination of the findings by each physical activity context provides insights regarding specific relationships. CONCLUSION Results suggest physical activity is either positively related to academic performance or that there is not a demonstrated relationship between physical activity and academic performance. Results have important implications for both policy and schools.

Timing of alcohol and other drug use and sexual risk behaviors among unmarried adolescents and young adults.

CONTEXT Although alcohol and drug use by young people has been associated with sexual risk behavior in some research, detailed data are lacking on the timing of substance use in relationship to sexual risk-taking. METHODOLOGY Cross-sectional data on 7,441 unmarried young people aged 14-22 from the 1992 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (household supplement) were used in the analysis. Alcohol and other drug use at last sexual intercourse, substance use in the past 30 days (recent use), the number of different substances ever used (lifetime use) and age at initiation of alcohol use are examined here. The outcome variables assessed through multivariate regression analyses were condom use at last intercourse and more than one sexual partner in the past three months. RESULTS Failure to use a condom was strongly associated with the lifetime substance-use scale or, alternatively, with age at initiation of alcohol. Once the number of substances ever used was controlled for, neither substance use at last sexual intercourse nor recent use was associated with the likelihood of using a condom at last coitus. Among young men and women, recent substance use and use of either alcohol or drugs at last intercourse were both strongly associated with having had more than one sexual partner in the past three months. For females only, lifetime use also increased the probability of recent multiple partners. CONCLUSIONS The relationships between alcohol and other drug use and two sexual behaviors--condom use and multiple partners-suggest distinct mechanisms of influence and the need for different prevention strategies.

Sexual Risk Avoidance and Sexual Risk Reduction Interventions for Middle School Youth: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE To evaluate the efficacy of two, theory-based, multimedia, middle school sexual education programs in delaying sexual initiation. METHODS Three-armed, randomized controlled trial comprising 15 urban middle schools; 1,258 predominantly African American and Hispanic seventh grade students followed into ninth grade. Both programs included group and individualized, computer-based activities addressing psychosocial variables. The risk avoidance (RA) program met federal abstinence education guidelines; the risk reduction (RR) program emphasized abstinence and included computer-based condom skills-training. The primary outcome assessed program impact on delayed sexual initiation; secondary outcomes assessed other sexual behaviors and psychosocial outcomes. RESULTS Participants were 59.8% females (mean age: 12.6 years). Relative to controls, the RR program delayed any type of sexual initiation (oral, vaginal, or anal sex) in the overall sample (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: .65, 95% CI: .54-.77), among females (AOR: .43, 95% CI: .31-.60), and among African Americans (AOR: .38, 95% CI: .18-.79). RR students also reduced unprotected sex at last intercourse (AOR: .67, 95% CI: .47-.96), frequency of anal sex in the past 3 months (AOR: .53, 95% CI: .33-.84), and unprotected vaginal sex (AOR: .59, 95% CI: .36-.95). The RA program delayed any sexual initiation among Hispanics (AOR: .40, 95% CI: .19-.86), reduced unprotected sex at last intercourse (AOR: .70, 95% CI: .52-.93), but increased the number of recent vaginal sex partners (AOR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.01-2.82). Both programs positively affected psychosocial outcomes. CONCLUSIONS The RR program positively affected sexually inexperienced and experienced youth, whereas the RA program delayed initiation among Hispanics and had mixed effects among sexually experienced youth.

What Works? Process Evaluation of a School-Based Fruit and Vegetable Distribution Program in Mississippi

BACKGROUND During the 2004-2005 school year, the Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Child Nutrition, initiated a pilot program to distribute free fruit and vegetable snacks to students during the school day. This article describes the first-year implementation of the Mississippi Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program. METHODS The process evaluation addressed where, when, and how produce was distributed; what was distributed; challenges and successes; and recommended modifications. Five of the 25 program schools were selected to participate in the evaluation; selection was based on grade levels served and demographic characteristics. Data were collected from program staff (N = 11) and administrators (N = 6) via interviews and logs; student (N = 42) and parent (N = 19) focus groups; student questionnaires (N = 660); and school staff questionnaires (N = 207). RESULTS Distributing fresh fruit and vegetable snacks at school was well received by staff and students. Most schools distributed the fresh fruit and vegetable snacks at morning break in classrooms or a central courtyard. Twenty-two types of fresh fruit, 4 types of dried fruit, and 7 types of vegetables were served to students during the program year. Commonly distributed fruit included apples, oranges, pears, bananas, and tangerines. Carrots were the staple vegetable, followed by celery. Key challenges included getting students to try new foods and receiving the produce in a timely manner without spoiling. Main successes included seeing students try new fruit and vegetable snacks, having the program run smoothly, and teacher support. CONCLUSIONS The program fit well within the school structure and could be an effective component of a multifaceted approach to enhancing child nutrition.

Promoting Elementary Physical Education: Results of a School-Based Evaluation Study

Using a quasiexperimental design, the authors examine whether fourth- and fifth-grade students exposed to a developmental physical education (PE) curriculum, Michigan’s Exemplary Physical Education Curriculum (EPEC), demonstrated stronger motor skill—specific self-efficacy and perceptions of physical activity competence, physical activity levels, motor skills, and physical fitness than did students exposed to existing PE curricula. The authors conducted a multilevel regression analysis with data from 1,464 students in the fourth and fifth grades. Data were collected using a student survey, an activity checklist, and motor and fitness assessments. Compared to students receiving standard PE, students exposed to EPEC showed significantly stronger results in motor skills but not fitness outcomes. The authors found significant positive intervention effects on indicators of motor skill self-efficacy and physical activity levels among the fourth-grade cohort. EPEC was more effective than standard PE curricula at improving motor skill performance (fourth- and fifth-grade cohorts) and at increasing self-reported motor skill-specific self-efficacy and physical activity (fourth-grade cohort).

Associations of Body Mass Index with Sexual Risk-Taking and Injection Drug Use among US High School Students

The purpose of this study was to determine if body mass index (BMI) is associated with behaviors that may increase risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among US high school students. We analyzed nationally representative data from the 2005–2011 national Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) to examine associations of BMI categories with sexual risk behaviors and injection drug use among sexually active high school students, using sex-stratified logistic regression models. Controlling for race/ethnicity and grade, among female and male students, both underweight (BMI < 5th percentile) and obesity (BMI ≥ 95th percentile) were associated with decreased odds of being currently sexually active (i.e., having had sexual intercourse during the past 3 months). However, among sexually active female students, obese females were more likely than normal weight females to have had 4 or more sex partners (odds ratio, OR = 1.59), not used a condom at last sexual intercourse (OR = 1.30), and injected illegal drugs (OR = 1.98). Among sexually active male students, overweight (85th percentile ≤ BMI < 95th percentile) was associated with not using a condom at last sexual intercourse (OR = 1.19) and obesity was associated with injection drug use (OR = 1.42). Among sexually active students, overweight and obesity may be indicators of increased risk for HIV and other STDs.

Indicators of asthma control among students in a rural, school-based asthma management program

Abstract Objective: The evaluation sought to determine if a comprehensive, school-based asthma management program in a small, rural school district helped students improve asthma control. Methods: To determine if students in the asthma program demonstrated better asthma control than students in a comparison school district, the evaluation team used a quasi-experimental, cross-sectional design and administered questionnaires assessing asthma control (which included FEV1 measurement) to 456 students with asthma in the intervention and comparison districts. Data were analyzed for differences in asthma control between students in the two districts. To determine if students in the intervention experienced increased asthma control between baseline and follow-up, the evaluation team used a one-group retrospective design. Program records for 323 students were analyzed for differences in percent of predicted forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) between baseline and follow-up. Results: Students with asthma in the intervention district exhibited significantly better asthma control than students with asthma in the comparison district. Percent of predicted FEV1 did not change significantly between baseline and follow-up for the intervention participants; however, post hoc analyses revealed students with poorly controlled asthma at baseline had significantly higher FEV1 scores at follow-up, and students with well-controlled asthma at baseline had significantly lower FEV1 scores at follow-up. Conclusions: Findings suggest that the comprehensive school-based program led to improvements in asthma control for students with poorly controlled asthma at baseline, and school-based programs need mechanisms for tracking students with initially well-controlled asthma to ensure they maintain control.

Communicating with School Nurses about Sexual Orientation and Sexual Health: Perspectives of Teen Young Men who have Sex with Men

Black and Latino young men who have sex with men (YMSM) are at disproportionate risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV. This study informs school-centered strategies for connecting YMSM to health services by describing their willingness, perceived safety, and experiences in talking to school staff about sexual health. Cross-sectional data were collected from Black and Latino YMSM aged 13–19 through web-based questionnaires (N = 415) and interviews (N = 32). School nurses were the staff members youth most often reported willingness to talk to about HIV testing (37.8%), STD testing (37.1%), or condoms (37.3%), but least often reported as safe to talk to about attraction to other guys (11.4%). Interviews revealed youth reluctance to talk with school staff including nurses when uncertain of staff members’ perceptions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) people or perceiving staff to lack knowledge of LGBTQ issues, communities, or resources. Nurses may need additional training to effectively reach Black and Latino YMSM.

Strategies for Identifying Students in Need of School-Based Asthma Services Challenges and Questions That Emerged From a Rapid Evaluation of a School-Based Asthma Program

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), with assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), conducted an evaluation of the CMS Asthma Program. Data were collected during the 200...

Social Stress and Substance Use Disparities by Sexual Orientation Among High School Students

INTRODUCTION Sexual minority youth often experience increased social stress due to prejudice, discrimination, harassment, and victimization. Increased stress may help explain the disproportionate use of substances like tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and other illicit drug use by sexual minority youth. This study examined the effect of social stress on substance use disparities by sexual orientation among U.S. high school students. METHODS In 2016, data from the national 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, conducted among a nationally representative sample of 15,624 U.S. high school students, were analyzed to examine the effect of school-related (threatened/injured at school, bullied at school, bullied electronically, felt unsafe at school) and non-school-related (forced sexual intercourse, early sexual debut) social stress on substance use disparities by sexual orientation, by comparing unadjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) and adjusted (for social stressors, age, sex, and race/ethnicity) prevalence ratios (APRs). RESULTS Unadjusted PRs reflected significantly (p<0.05 or 95% CI did not include 1.0) greater substance use among students who identified as lesbian/gay or bisexual than students who identified as heterosexual. APRs for injection drug use decreased substantially among lesbian/gay (PR=12.02 vs APR=2.14) and bisexual (PR=2.62 vs APR=1.18) students; the APR for bisexual students became nonsignificant. In addition, APRs among both lesbian/gay and bisexual students decreased substantially and were no longer statistically significant for cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin use. CONCLUSIONS School-based substance use prevention programs might appropriately include strategies to reduce social stress, including policies and practices designed to provide a safe school environment and improved access to social and mental health services.