Sources of Help for Dating Violence Victims: A Qualitative Inquiry Into the Perceptions of African American Teens.

Although teen dating violence victims' reticence in seeking help from adults is well documented, little is known about youths' comparative perceptions of the types of help offered by and effectiveness of various sources. This qualitative study solicited teens' perceptions of sources of help for victims using in-depth interviews with African American youth (ages 13-18) in two public high schools in New Orleans ( = 38). Participants were recruited purposively by researchers during lunchtime and via referral by school personnel.

Adapting an evidence-based model to retain adolescent study participants in longitudinal research.

Maintaining contact with and collecting outcome data from adolescent study participants can present a significant challenge for researchers conducting longitudinal studies. Establishing an organized and effective protocol for participant follow-up is crucial to reduce attrition and maintain high retention rates. This paper describes our methods in using and adapting the evidence-based Engagement, Verification, Maintenance, and Confirmation (EVMC) model to follow up with adolescents 6 and 12 months after implementation of a health program.

Effects of a Sexual Risk Reduction Program for African-American Adolescents on Social Cognitive Antecedents of Behavior Change.

Objectives: To identify social cognitive outcomes relevant to a specific adolescent sexual risk reduction intervention, and to examine the program's impact on these.

Methods: A randomized control trial involving 763 adolescents (recruited during 2012-2014) who were randomly assigned to either an 8-session general health intervention (control) or an 8-session sexual risk reduction intervention (treatment). Seven social cognitive outcomes were identified and assessed post-program using ordinary least squares regression.

Implementation lessons: the importance of assessing organizational "fit" and external factors when implementing evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs.

In recent years, the demand for evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs has increased, but practitioners often struggle to replicate and implement them as designed in real-world community settings. The purpose of this article is to describe the barriers and facilitators encountered during pilot year attempts to implement an evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention program within three types of organizations: (1) small community-based organizations; (2) a school-based organization; and (3) a large decentralized city-sponsored summer youth program. We frame our discussion of these experiences within the context of a systemic, multilevel framework for implementation consisting of (1) core implementation components; (2) organizational components; and (3) external factors.

Associations between depressive symptoms, self-efficacy, eating styles, exercise and body mass index in women.

This article explores cross-sectional associations between depressive symptoms and body mass index (BMI) in women working in schools in the Greater New Orleans area. Self-efficacy for eating and exercise, eating styles, and exercise are examined as potential pathways. This is a secondary data analysis of 743 women who were participating in a workplace wellness randomized controlled trial to address environmental factors influencing eating and exercise behaviors using baseline data prior to the intervention.

One Hundred Intentional Acts of Kindness toward a Pregnant Woman: building reproductive social capital in Los Angeles.

This article describes the development of an innovative community-based program, One Hundred Intentional Acts of Kindness toward a Pregnant Woman (100 Acts), which seeks to increase reproductive social capital for pregnant women in south and central Los Angeles communities. Reproductive social capital includes features such as networks, norms, and social trust that facilitate optimal reproductive health within a community. 100 Acts was designed and developed by the Healthy African American Families project, using community participatory methods, to increase local community and social network support for pregnant women.

The Healthy African American Families' risk communications initiative: using community partnered participatory research to address preterm birth at the local level.

Preterm birth is the leading cause of infant death for African Americans and is significantly associated with lifelong morbidity. Primary prevention efforts using medical strategies to reduce the rates of preterm birth have been unsuccessful. Using community partnered participatory processes, the Healthy African American Families project in Los Angeles developed a multilevel, risk communications strategy to promote awareness about preterm birth in the local community.

Connecting our resources: Louisiana's approach to community health network development.

Louisiana's rural community health systems are in crisis because of pressures fueled by the rising costs of health care, sustained poor health status, state budget shortfalls and changes in priorities, and a sliding rural economy. The development of community health networks is providing new infrastructure and capacity for communities to reprioritize, formulate innovative partnerships, and leverage new resources. Successful elements of Louisiana's network development experience include community commitment to engage in study and action; the availability of capable and motivated technical assistance; an approach that involves open-engagement, community-driven decision-making; and data-driven problem definition, prioritization, and solutions.