title: Health behaviors and mental health of students attending alternative high schools: a review of the research literature.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this review is to describe current knowledge about health-risk behaviors and mental health among alternative high school students.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Substance use, diet and/or physical activity, sexual-risk behaviors, mental health, and violence were reviewed. Students were described as marginalized youth facing significant social environmental challenges. Findings from 43 studies published from 1997-2010 suggested a high prevalence of health-risk behaviors among alternative high school students. Very few studies were conducted by nurse researchers. Suggestions for future research include addressing social environmental factors, resiliency, and emotional/mental health outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alternative high schools offer a venue to conduct research and implement nursing interventions with high-risk, yet resilient, youth.
authors.affiliation: Center for Adolescent Nursing, School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. joh04404@umn.edu
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Lindsay A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Taliaferro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D004032:Diet / Q000639:trends; D004519:Education, Special / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data