title: A health education program for inner city high school youths: promoting positive health behaviors through intervention.
abstract: This descriptive study examined the influence of a 7-week Health Education Program (HEP) on the reported health behaviors of inner city high school youths. A convenience sample of 83 youths between the ages of 14 and 17 years was selected from a moderate size, metropolitan, midwestern high school. A 32-item Health Behaviors Survey (HBS), developed by the researcher, was administered to the youths before and after the completion of the HEP. Participants were classified by their health behaviors into high-, moderate-, or low-risk categories. In addition, the subjects completed a health diary that was discussed before the weekly presentations. Findings of the study revealed a positive shift in several reported health behaviors from high-risk to low-risk following completion of the HEP. The professional nurse is in an excellent position to develop nursing interventions and creative innovations including preventive measures to positively influence the health behaviors of young people.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fowler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012572:School Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population