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BACKGROUND Teacher instructional competency, the set of essential knowledge and skills needed to guide teaching practice, is critical to the successful implementation of school health education. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the Health Education Teacher Instructional Competency (HETIC) framework, a new conceptualization describing teacher characteristics, essential knowledge, and essential skills, which can influence instructional practice and improve student learning outcomes in health education. METHODS Data from 17 publicly available guidance documents, professional standards, published reports, and empirical studies relevant to the fields of public education, school health education, and sexual health education were abstracted and analyzed using qualitative thematic content analysis. RESULTS The framework describes 3 domains: personal characteristics, essential knowledge, and essential skills, which are believed to contribute to teachers' instructional competencies in delivering health education. The knowledge domain asserts 5 key categories, while the essential skills domain includes 3 categories (learning environments, content and delivery, and collaboration and learning) and contains 11 unique skills. Collectively, these domains are influenced by the learner, school/community, and policy-level factors that shape health education curriculum and instruction. CONCLUSIONS The HETIC framework presents a conceptual roadmap to guide quality health education preparation, job-embedded training, and delivery. Improving teachers' instructional competencies strengthens learning and prosocial environments that are inclusive, responsive, and affirming of students' health and learning needs. Teacher who demonstrate instructional competency can help students to achieve desired education and health outcomes, specifically acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to adapt, practice, and maintain healthy behaviors throughout their lifetime.

Sexual minority adolescents (SMA) report more suicide risk behaviors than heterosexual adolescents. Polyvictimization (co-occurrence of multiple types of victimization) may be an important, underresearched correlate of this disparity. With the 2017 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (N = 13,179), national estimates of polyvictimization and suicide risk were assessed among high school students by sexual minority status (SM vs. heterosexual), and multivariate relationships between sexual minority status, polyvictimization, and suicide risk were tested. Additionally, risk profiles of those who experienced polyvictimization (2 + types of victimization; n = 1,932) were compared across sexual minority status. Results confirm that SMA are more likely to experience polyvictimization than heterosexual adolescents (31.8% v. 12.9%, respectively); however, also indicate that polyvictimization does not fully explain elevated suicide risk among SMA.

BackgroundThere are known associations between mental health symptoms and transgender identity among adults. Whether this relationship extends to early adolescents and to gender domains other than identity is unclear. This study measured dimensions of gender in a large, diverse, sample of youth, and examined associations between diverse gender experiences and mental health.MethodsThe ABCD study is an ongoing, longitudinal, US cohort study. Baseline data (release 2.0) include 11,873 youth age 9/10 (48% female); and the 4,951 1-year follow-up visits (age 10/11; 48% female) completed prior to data release. A novel gender survey at the 1-year visit assessed felt-gender, gender noncontentedness, and gender nonconformity using a 5-point scale. Mental health measures included youth- and parent-reports.ResultsRoughly half a percent of 9/10-year-olds (n=58) responded 'yes' or 'maybe' when asked, 'Are you transgender' at baseline. Recurrent thoughts of death were more prevalent among these youth compared to the rest of the cohort (19.6% vs. 6.4%, χ2 =16.0, p&nbsp

Objective Sexual minority girls (lesbian/bisexual) and girls with overweight/obesity experience high rates of discrimination and mental distress. This study explored whether BMI or perceived weight status might compound sexual minority girls’ risk for harassment and mental distress. Methods Data on female students from the national 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (n = 7,006) were analyzed. Logistic regression was used to examine differences in bullying, harassment, and mental distress across sexual identity/BMI groups: heterosexual/normal-weight, heterosexual/overweight, sexual minority/normal-weight, and sexual minority/overweight. Procedures were repeated with four analogous groups created from sexual identity and perceived weight. Results Across sexual identity/BMI groups, being overweight increased heterosexual females’ odds of being bullied or experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Regardless of weight status, sexual minority females had greater odds for each outcome than heterosexual females. Sexual minority females who perceived themselves as overweight had greater odds of suicidality than all other sexual minority/perceived weight groups. Conclusions Double jeopardy may exist for sexual minority female students who perceive themselves as overweight. Professional development with school staff on how to create a positive climate for sexual minorities and those with overweight/obesity and addressing positive identity and body image within school-based suicide prevention efforts may be important to the well-being of adolescent girls.

BACKGROUND: A US federal mandate that school districts devise and implement local wellness policies (LWPs) has potential widespread impact on the nutritional content of foods and beverages available in schools and on the amount of physical activity that students engage in; however, evidence concerning the mandate's effectiveness is limited. This study describes the content of LWPs of 6 US school districts and steps taken toward their implementation and evaluation. METHODS: During visits to 6 school districts, we interviewed 88 school and community representatives about the content of their district's LWPs and how the LWPs were being implemented and evaluated. RESULTS: The 6 LWPs were consistent with the federal mandate, although they varied in content and degree of specificity, and none had been fully implemented. All 6 districts were pursuing strategies to ensure that foods and beverages available at school met nutrition standards but did not offer nutrition education to all K-12 students. All 6 districts offered students only limited opportunities for physical activity, and all 6 collected data to monitor process and outcomes of their LWPs. CONCLUSIONS: Partial implementation of LWPs in the districts we visited resulted in significant improvement in the nutritional quality of foods available at district schools, but only slight improvement in students' opportunities for school-based physical activity. We provide recommendations for school districts on implementation and evaluation. Future research is needed to determine the impact of these LWPs on students' health.

BACKGROUND: During the 2004–2005 school year, the Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Child Nutrition, initiated a pilot program to distribute free fruit and vegetable snacks to students during the school day. This article describes the first-year implementation of the Mississippi Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program. METHODS: The process evaluation addressed where, when, and how produce was distributed; what was distributed; challenges and successes; and recommended modifications. Five of the 25 program schools were selected to participate in the evaluation; selection was based on grade levels served and demographic characteristics. Data were collected from program staff (N = 11) and administrators (N = 6) via interviews and logs; student (N = 42) and parent (N = 19) focus groups; student questionnaires (N = 660); and school staff questionnaires (N = 207). RESULTS: Distributing fresh fruit and vegetable snacks at school was well received by staff and students. Most schools distributed the fresh fruit and vegetable snacks at morning break in classrooms or a central courtyard. Twenty-two types of fresh fruit, 4 types of dried fruit, and 7 types of vegetables were served to students during the program year. Commonly distributed fruit included apples, oranges, pears, bananas, and tangerines. Carrots were the staple vegetable, followed by celery. Key challenges included getting students to try new foods and receiving the produce in a timely manner without spoiling. Main successes included seeing students try new fruit and vegetable snacks, having the program run smoothly, and teacher support. CONCLUSIONS: The program fit well within the school structure and could be an effective component of a multifaceted approach to enhancing child nutrition.

The authors describe application of the Systematic Screening and Assessment (SSA) Method to an initiative called the Early Assessment of Programs and Policies to Prevent Childhood Obesity. Over a 2-year period, a national network of practitioners, policy makers, and funders nominated programs and policies across five substantive areas: school district local wellness policies, school-based comprehensive physical activity programs, day care and after-school programs, access to healthy foods in low-income communities, and changes in the built environment to promote physical activity. The role of an expert panel in selecting innovations for evaluability assessment on the basis of the likelihood for a positive health impact is described. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc., and the American Evaluation Association.

Service learning has been identified as a promising approach to reduce sexual risk behavior, among other outcomes. This study used qualitative data analysis to offer suggestions for optimally integrating service learning into a program to reduce sexual risks among alternative school students. Data were collected from student participants in the All4You! Project using classroom materials, focus groups, and individual interviews. Project educators and project staff also provided data through summary forms and field notes. Qualitative data analysis revealed 5 strategies for creating positive service experiences for alternative school students: (1) find appropriate service-learning sites, (2) create staff support, (3) maintain appropriate student participation and behavior, (4) enhance student reflection on service-learning experiences, and (5) address students’ self-images. (J Sch Health. 2005;75(5):151-156)