Research interests, experience, and training of Community Health Workers: a mixed Method Approach.

The Affordable Care Act includes a call for community health care workers (CHWs) to be integrated into health care delivery systems to improve health care quality. In recent years, there have been increasing calls for community-based participatory research (CBPR) and patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR), as such types of research hold much potential for identifying interventions to reduce health and health care disparities. Yet, little is known about the research training, knowledge, experience, and even interest of CHWs in these types of research or in health research in general (HR). Thus, the purposes of this study include determining if there are differences between participating CHWs (N = 202) in their levels of training, knowledge, experience, and interest in relation to CBPR, PCOR and HR. Findings suggest that certified CHWs, as compared to non-certified CHWs, have significantly higher knowledge levels across all three types of research (ß = 1.3, p = .007). Additionally, participants had significantly higher knowledge of HR compared to CBPR (ß = 0.5, p = .015), but not higher than their knowledge of PCOR (p > .5). Qualitative data analyses performed to determine research areas of interest among the participating CHWs resulted in eighteen major research interest themes. Examples of these major themes are chronic illness (n = 95), health promotion (n = 39), healthcare services and administration (n = 30), mental health (n = 29), and research evaluation and methodology (n = 26). Together, the findings suggest that though CHWs have an interest in a wide range of health research areas, they could benefit from research trainings tailored to their responsibilities and interests.

Anabolic steroid education and adolescents: do scare tactics work?

The opinions (level of agreement) of high school varsity football players with regard to reported effects of anabolic steroids were assessed before and after two different education interventions. Lectures and handouts of a balanced education program (potential risks and benefits) were compared with a risks-only (negative or "scare tactics") presentation, in a controlled manner. Those receiving the balanced review significantly increased their agreement with 5 of 10 targeted adverse effects, while no change occurred for any risks among those taught by the negative intervention. A teaching model that only emphasizes the untoward consequences of anabolic steroids is ineffective, even in the short-term. A balanced education approach can improve understanding of the potential adverse effects of these drugs. Additional strategies may be required to change young athletes' attitudes toward anabolic androgenic steroid use.

Effect of an anabolic steroid education program on knowledge and attitudes of high school football players.

Six varsity high school football teams were assessed by confidential questionnaire regarding anabolic steroids, before and 2 weeks after an education intervention. The education program used the American College of Sports Medicine's position on the "use of anabolic androgenic steroids in sports." Two teams received a lecture and a four-page handout, two teams were given the handout only, and two teams were controls. Self-report of current use was 1.1% but 38.8% claimed availability of these agents. Although increased awareness of the adverse effects of anabolic steroid was found after the education program, no differences in attitudes toward the use of anabolic steroids occurred as compared to controls. Strategies designed to dissuade adolescent athletes from considering these drugs need to be developed.