Adaptation and feasibility assessment of a dating violence prevention program for girls in foster care

Abstract Background Dating violence in adolescence is a serious public health issue due to its significant impact on mental health and its significant predictive value for intimate partner violence in adulthood. Universal and selective programs can contribute to the prevention of this issue. Nonetheless, there are few selective programs with evidence of feasibility in contexts of social vulnerability. Objective The present study examined evidence of the feasibility of a dating violence selective prevention program for girls in foster care by monitoring process indicators during the implementation phase of a pilot study. Methods The program, originally designed for adolescents in the general population, was adapted to the context of girls at risk. The pilot study was conducted in the southern region of Brazil and involved the participation of six girls aged between 15 and 17. Both quantitative and qualitative measures were used, and the data were explored through frequency analysis, the Jacobson and Truax test, and content analysis. Results The study identified favorable evidence regarding demand, acceptability, and adaptation of the intervention. On the other hand, contextual and institutional barriers hindered recruitment and restricted the reach of the intervention. Conclusion Although there are changes to be made to improve the program's applicability in its specific context, it should be emphasized that this study provides evidence to maintain the methods and content of the intervention.

Evaluation of the Computer-Based Intervention Program Stayingfit Brazil to Promote Healthy Eating Habits: The Results from a School Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.

Interventions via the Internet are promising regarding the promotion of healthy habits among youth. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of an adapted version of StayingFit to promote healthy eating habits and the measurement adequacy of anthropometric markers among adolescents. A web school-based 12-month cluster-randomized controlled trial examining 7th to 9th grade students was conducted in twelve schools in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The schools' students were randomly distributed into the intervention and control groups. The intervention group participated in StayingFit, an online program designed to encourage and guide healthy eating habits and control body weight. Data on food consumption, anthropometry, physical activity level, and sedentary behavior were collected from all of the students at the beginning of and after the 12-month study. Demographic and socioeconomic data were collected at baseline. The baseline data indicated high rates of overweight (14.4% overweight and 8.5% obese), insufficiently active (87.6%), and sedentary (63.7%). Furthermore, few adolescents regularly consumed fruits (18.8%) and vegetables/legumes (16.4%). Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to evaluate the effect of the intervention. At the end of the follow-up period, students in the intervention group had a 43% increased chance of regularly consuming beans (OR = 1.43, 95% CIs = 1.10-1.86) and a 35% decreased chance of regularly consuming soft drinks (OR = 0.65, 95% CIs = 0.50-0.84). No differences were found between the groups studied with regard to the anthropometric parameters. Despite these modest results, the implementation of a web intervention can be beneficial and help promote positive changes in adolescent eating habits.

Prevenção e promoção da saúde mental no envelhecimento: conceitos e intervenções / Prevention and promotion of mental health in aging: concepts and interventions / Prevención y fomento de la salud mental en el envejecimiento: conceptos e intervenciones

A proposta deste ensaio é descrever a concepção de envelhecimento no contexto atual, considerando aspectos históricos e conceituais sobre prevenção e promoção à saúde mental da pessoa idosa e focos de intervenção. O envelhecimento é um processo que deve ser vivenciado com autonomia, reconhecimento de direitos, segurança, dignidade, bem-estar e saúde. Intervenções de prevenção a transtornos mentais em idosos, escassas na literatura nacional, são essenciais na redução de risco de surgimento de transtornos como depressão, ansiedade e suicídio. Intervenções de promoção à saúde, utilizadas com mais frequência nessa população, são úteis no desenvolvimento de competências como empoderamento, autonomia e autoeficácia. Novas agendas políticas e de pesquisa devem incluir ações intersetoriais articuladas, com práticas preventivas pautadas no ciclo de pesquisa em prevenção, incluindo estratégias breves e computadorizadas...

The purpose of this essay is to describe the concept of aging in the current context, considering historical and conceptual aspects on prevention and promotion of mental health of the elderly and means of intervention. Aging is a process that must be experienced with autonomy, recognition of rights, safety, dignity, well-being and health. Interventions to prevent mental disorders in the elderly, very few present in national studies, are essential in reducing the risk of the emergence of disorders such as depression, anxiety and suicide. Interventions for health promotion, which are frequently used with the public, are useful in the development of skills such as empowerment, autonomy and self-efficiency. New public policies and research should include coordinated intersectorial actions, with preventive practices based on research in the prevention cycle, including brief and computerized strategies...

La propuesta de este ensayo es describir la concepción de envejecimiento en el contexto actual, considerando aspectos históricos y conceptuales acerca de la prevención y fomento de la salud mental de la persona anciana y aspectos de intervención. El envejecimiento es un proceso que se debe vivenciar con autonomía, reconocimiento de derechos, seguridad, dignidad, bienestar y salud. Intervenciones de prevención a trastornos mentales en ancianos, escasas en la literatura nacional, son esenciales en la reducción de riesgo de surgimiento de trastornos como depresión, ansiedad y suicidio. Intervenciones de fomento de la salud, utilizadas con más frecuencia en esa población, son útiles en el desarrollo de competencias como el empoderamiento, la autonomía y la autoeficacia. Nuevas agendas políticas y de investigación deben incluir acciones intersectoriales articuladas, con prácticas preventivas pautadas en el ciclo de investigación en prevención, incluyendo estrategias breves y computadorizadas...

Prevenção e promoção da saúde mental no envelhecimento: conceitos e intervenções / Prevention and promotion of mental health in aging: concepts and interventions / Prevención y fomento de la salud mental en el envejecimiento: conceptos e intervenciones

A proposta deste ensaio é descrever a concepção de envelhecimento no contexto atual, considerando aspectos históricos e conceituais sobre prevenção e promoção à saúde mental da pessoa idosa e focos de intervenção. O envelhecimento é um processo que deve ser vivenciado com autonomia, reconhecimento de direitos, segurança, dignidade, bem-estar e saúde. Intervenções de prevenção a transtornos mentais em idosos, escassas na literatura nacional, são essenciais na redução de risco de surgimento de transtornos como depressão, ansiedade e suicídio. Intervenções de promoção à saúde, utilizadas com mais frequência nessa população, são úteis no desenvolvimento de competências como empoderamento, autonomia e autoeficácia. Novas agendas políticas e de pesquisa devem incluir ações intersetoriais articuladas, com práticas preventivas pautadas no ciclo de pesquisa em prevenção, incluindo estratégias breves e computadorizadas.(AU)

The purpose of this essay is to describe the concept of aging in the current context, considering historical and conceptual aspects on prevention and promotion of mental health of the elderly and means of intervention. Aging is a process that must be experienced with autonomy, recognition of rights, safety, dignity, well-being and health. Interventions to prevent mental disorders in the elderly, very few present in national studies, are essential in reducing the risk of the emergence of disorders such as depression, anxiety and suicide. Interventions for health promotion, which are frequently used with the public, are useful in the development of skills such as empowerment, autonomy and self-efficiency. New public policies and research should include coordinated intersectorial actions, with preventive practices based on research in the prevention cycle, including brief and computerized strategies.(AU)

La propuesta de este ensayo es describir la concepción de envejecimiento en el contexto actual, considerando aspectos históricos y conceptuales acerca de la prevención y fomento de la salud mental de la persona anciana y aspectos de intervención. El envejecimiento es un proceso que se debe vivenciar con autonomía, reconocimiento de derechos, seguridad, dignidad, bienestar y salud. Intervenciones de prevención a trastornos mentales en ancianos, escasas en la literatura nacional, son esenciales en la reducción de riesgo de surgimiento de trastornos como depresión, ansiedad y suicidio. Intervenciones de fomento de la salud, utilizadas con más frecuencia en esa población, son útiles en el desarrollo de competencias como el empoderamiento, la autonomía y la autoeficacia. Nuevas agendas políticas y de investigación deben incluir acciones intersectoriales articuladas, con prácticas preventivas pautadas en el ciclo de investigación en prevención, incluyendo estrategias breves y computadorizadas.(AU)