Current status and association analysis of sexual attitudes， sexual safety awareness and refusal skills among junior high school students in the suburbs of Shanghai / 上海预防医学

ObjectiveTo understand the acceptance of sex-related behaviors， sexual safety awareness， and refusal skills among junior high school students and conduct association analysis， and to provide a reference for the implementation of sex and reproductive health education for adolescents. MethodsA questionnaire survey related to knowledge of sexual and reproductive health was conducted among 478 students from two junior high schools in Jiading District， Shanghai. ResultsThe pass rate for sex and reproductive health knowledge among junior high school students was only 36.6%， with acceptance rates for dating， watching pornography， engaging in sexual behavior， pregnancy， and artificial abortion at 24.5%， 11.1%， 5.6%， 4.8%， and 5.9%， respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that students who passed the sexual and reproductive health assessment had a significantly lower acceptance rate of sex-related behaviors than those who did not （aOR=1.666， 95%CI： 1.124‒2.470， P=0.011）. Adolescents with a passing knowledge of sexual and reproductive health （aOR=1.607， 95%CI： 1.060‒2.438， P=0.026） or a lower acceptance of sex-related behaviors （aOR=4.199， 95%CI： 2.804‒6.289， P<0.001） had higher awareness of sexual safety. Adolescents with a passing knowledge of sexual and reproductive health （aOR=1.691， 95%CI： 1.066‒2.684， P=0.026）， a lower acceptance of sex-related behaviors （aOR=1.756， 95%CI： 1.130‒2.729， P=0.012）， or higher awareness of sexual safety （aOR=2.872， 95%CI： 1.826‒4.516， P<0.001） had stronger skills to refuse sex-related behaviors. ConclusionSexual and reproductive attitudes， sexual safety awareness， and refusal skills for sex-related behaviors among junior high school students in Jiading District need to be improved. Schools should focus on cultivating adolescents’ sexual and reproductive knowledge and related skills， and advocate for relevant institutions to provide appropriate sexual healthcare services to meet their needs for reproductive healthcare.

Effects of a short school-based vaping prevention program for high school students.

Educational programs that address adolescents' misperceptions of e-cigarette harms and benefits and increase refusal skills play an important role in preventing initiation and use. This study evaluates changes in adolescents' e-cigarette perceptions, knowledge, refusal skills, and intentions to use following a real-world implementation of a school-based vaping-prevention curriculum. Study participants were 357 9th-12th grade students from one high school in Kentucky, United States who participated in a 60-minute vaping prevention curriculum from the Stanford REACH Lab's Tobacco Prevention Toolkit. Participants completed pre- and post-program assessments regarding their e-cigarette knowledge, perceptions, refusal skills, and intentions to use e-cigarettes. Matched paired t-tests and McNemar tests of paired proportions were applied to assess changes in study outcomes. Following the curriculum, participants indicated statistically significant changes on all 15 survey items related to e-cigarette perceptions (p's < 0.05). Participants demonstrated improved knowledge that e-cigarettes deliver nicotine in the form of an aerosol (p <.001), reported that if a friend offered them a vape it would be easier to say no (p <.001), and indicated they would be less likely to take the vape (p <.001) after receiving the curriculum. Other survey items related to knowledge, refusal skills, and intentions did not demonstrate significant changes. Overall, participation in a single session vaping-prevention curriculum was associated with several positive changes in high school students' e-cigarettes knowledge, perceptions, refusal skills, and intentions. Future evaluations should examine how such changes affect long-term trajectories of e-cigarette use.

Clinical utility of a hybrid secondary and relapse prevention program in adults with mild intellectual disability in community residential and day habilitation settings.

BACKGROUND: Despite evidence that standard substance use disorder (SUD) treatment may be less effective in people with intellectual disability (ID), there is an absence of appropriate clinical tools with which to support them. OBJECTIVES: This study examined the clinical utility of an alcohol and other drug refusal skills intervention designed to be cognitively accessible to adults with ID METHODS: Thirty individuals at high risk for or in recovery from a SUD in developmental disability services (DDS) community residential and day habilitation settings participated in the two-week refusal skills group. Measures included pretest versus posttest improvement in refusal skill competency and baseline performance on a standardized verbal learning test. RESULTS: There was a strong effect for refusal skill acquisition (p < .001); and the magnitude of skill acquisition was predicted by group attendance (p < .001) and not by individual differences in verbal learning ability (p = .074) or efficiency (p = .35). CONCLUSIONS: The Refusal Skills Group is developmentally appropriate for people with mild ID in that: (1) they can learn and demonstrate refusal skills and (2) their skill acquisition is predicted more strongly by exposure to the intervention than by individual differences in learning characteristics. Delivering refusal skills in DDS settings familiar to clients increased their access to services and minimized disruption to their usual routines and schedules.

A Pilot Evaluation of I'M HAPPY: An Interactive Module to Halt Abuse of Prescriptions in Preteens and Youth.

Objective: The purpose of this project was to create a web-accessible drug education program that would positively impact student knowledge and perceptions. Materials and Methods: An interactive computer module (Interactive Module to Halt Abuse of Prescriptions in Preteens and Youth [I'M HAPPY]) was created using a combination of e-learning and animation software. The module used narrated illustrations, animations, and games to explain what over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription drugs are, how they are used correctly, and what risks they carry. Animated drug refusal scenarios with user-determined outcomes were also incorporated. Sixth-grade students were asked to complete the module online and were given a 14-question pretest and posttest on the definitions, adverse effects, and proper use of OTC and prescription medicines. They were also asked to rank the perceived helpfulness of several drug refusal strategies. Student opinions about the computer module itself were collected on the posttest. Results: Students (n = 34) scored better on quiz questions following the module. They also showed increased favorability toward three of four drug refusal strategies after completing the module, with a greater proportion ranking these strategies "Very Helpful." Most students indicated they learned new things from the module (79%) and found it enjoyable (88%) and easy to use (97%). Conclusion: The I'M HAPPY program improved student knowledge of OTC and prescription drugs and enhanced perceptions of the helpfulness of certain drug refusal strategies. The computer module was considered enjoyable and easy to use, and can be easily disseminated to any student or classroom having internet access.

The impact of a multiple intelligences teaching approach drug education programme on drug refusal skills of Nigerian pupils.

The rising incidence of drug abuse among youths in Nigeria is a source of concern for health educators. This study was carried out on primary six pupils to determine the effect of a Multiple Intelligences Teaching Approach Drug Education Programme (MITA-DEP) on pupils' acquisition of drug refusal skills. A programme of drug education based on the Multiple Intelligences Teaching Approach (MITA) was developed. An experimental group was taught using this programme while a control group was taught using the same programme but developed based on the Traditional Teaching Approach. Pupils taught with the MITA acquired more drug refusal skills than those taught with the Traditional Teaching Approach. Urban pupils taught with the MITA acquired more skills than rural pupils. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean refusal skills of male and female pupils taught with the MITA.

Perceived friend and peer smoking and direct and indirect refusal skills as predictors of cigarette smoking in U.S. and Japanese middle school students.

Adolescents (aged 12-14 years) from the United States (n = 539) and Japan (n = 644) completed surveys regarding tobacco use, perceptions of friend and peer smoking, and their own likelihood of using smoking refusal skills. U.S. youth were more likely to report lifetime or monthly tobacco use, whereas Japanese youth were more likely to smoke ≥20 cigarettes per week. High perceived friend and peer smoking prevalence predicted lifetime smoking, whereas direct refusal skill use (e.g., "saying no") predicted less lifetime tobacco use. Results are discussed in terms of cultural influences that may mediate the effect of risk factors on U.S. and Japanese youth.

An investigation on the effect of Health Belief Model-based education on refusal skills in high risk situations among female students.

BACKGROUND: Various studies show an association between lack of social skills in adolescents and the future incidence of behavioral disorders. If girls, as future mothers, lack adequate health, awareness, self confidence and social skills, they may act as a source of many social problems. Therefore, the present study has tried to educate this group on one of the most essential social skills, refusal skill in high risk situation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a field quasi experimental study conducted on 145 female students in middle schools in Arak, Iran in 2010-2011. The schools were randomly selected. The subjects were selected through systematic random sampling from the schools' log book. The data were collected by questionnaires containing personal and familial characteristics, three health belief model structures, and behavioral intention in high risk situations. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistical tests (frequency distribution, mean, SD) and inferential tests of repetitive variance analysis and T-test through SPSS. FINDINGS: In the present study, repetitive variance analysis showed that education by use of a health belief model had a positive effect on refusal skills in high risk situations as well as perceived barriers (p = 0.007), self-efficacy (p = 0.015), behavioral intention (p = 0.048) after educational intervention in the study group, but not on perceived benefits (p = 0.180). CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that education significantly increased refusal skills in high risk situations in the study group through the health belief model. With regard to the results, it is essential to equip the students with preventive behaviors to guarantee their physical, emotional and social health.

Relationship between factors as sensation seeking, general self-efficacy and deviant peers with refusal skills among middle school students / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To explore the relationship of sensation seeking,self-efficacy,deviant peers and refusal skills related to strategy on drugs among middle school students.Methods A total of 502 students from two high schools and two vocational schools in Baise city were recruited with age distribution between 14 and 20 years.The study objects were asked to fill the sensation seeking scale,the general self-efficacy scale questionnaire on drug refusal strategies and behavior among peers.Results ( 1 ) Adolescents were more likely to use the Refuse (78.29％) and Leave strategy (77.89％) for initial drug offers and follow-up drug offers; (2)The general self-efficacy was negatively associated with the Explain and Leave strategies for initial drug offers and Explain strategy for follow-up drug offers.Sensation seeking was negatively related to the strategies on Explain and Leave for initial drug offers and follow-up drug offers.Peer influence was positively associated with both Refuse and Leave strategies for initial drug offers and follow-up drug offers; (3)Results from the logistic regression analysis showed that self-efficacy and sensation seeking were significant variables that could predict the results from the use of Explain strategy (β =-0.055 and -0.029 ) for both initial drug refusals and follow-up drug refusals and the use of Leave strategy(β =-0.057 and-0.041 ) for initial drug refusals.Conclusion There were significant effects of sensation seeking and self-efficacy in predicting Explain or Leave strategies for drug refusals among middle students.