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This article begins with an exploration of the issues facing beginning school counselors and the educational requirements for school counselor education programs. Following this exploration, the discussion moves into a description of how service-learning can be used to foster understanding and transfer abstract professional concepts into practice. A case example of a class incorporating service-learning is presented, providing counselor educators with an in-depth understanding of the key foundational underpinnings necessary for effective service-learning projects in school counseling coursework. Potential challenges are discussed and suggestions for future research are shared.

Background: Brazil has a high burden of cervical cancer, even though it is preventable, traceable and treatable. Hence, this study evaluated levels of knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) related to cervical cancer screening and diagnosis and acceptance of self-screening techniques among women aged 24 and greater., Methods: A cross-sectional KAP survey was administered to n = 4206 women and spanned questions relating to cervical cancer, HPV, speculum, Pap test and colposcopy. Questionnaire was disseminated through a major hospital's social media platforms, intranet and gynecologic-oncology clinics. Logistic regressions evaluated associations between sociodemographic characteristics and knowledge, attitudes, and preventative behaviors against cervical cancer. Participants indicated willingness to try DNA-HPV self-sampling and cervix self-visualization (self-colposcopy)., Findings: Participants were mostly white individuals (70.5%) with higher education and from social classes A and B. They demonstrated superior levels of KAP than described in the literature, with over 57.8% having answered 80+% of questions correctly. KAP scores were predicted by social class, educational attainment, race, history of premalignant cervical lesions and geographic location. About 80% and 63% would be willing to try DNA-HPV self-sampling and cervix self-visualization, respectively. Interest in self-screening was associated with adequate attitude (OR = 1.85) and inadequate practice (OR = .83)., Interpretation: Adequate KAP are fundamental for the successful implementation of a self-screening program. Participants were interested in methods that provide them with greater autonomy, control and practicality. Self-screening could address barriers for under-screened women such as shame, discomfort, distance from clinics and competing commitments, enabling Brazil to reach the WHO's cervical cancer elimination goals. It could also decrease excess medical intervention in over-screened populations by promoting shared decision-making.

In the United States, nationally representative civilian studies have shown that BMI is associated with select sociodemographic characteristics. Active-duty military personnel are not included in these surveys and the persistence of these associations in military personnel is unknown. Data from the worldwide, representative 2002 and 2005 Department of Defense (DoD) Surveys of Health-Related Behaviors Among Active Duty Military Personnel were used to assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity and, the association of BMI with sociodemographic characteristics. The final response bases included 12,756 (2002) and 16,146 (2005) personnel. Results indicated that the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity in military personnel increased to an all-time high in 2005 (60.5%) with higher prevalence of obesity in 2005 compared to 2002 (12.9% vs. 8.7, respectively, P ≤ 0.01). Holding other variables constant, regression analysis indicated that women were significantly less likely than men to be overweight or obese in both survey years (P ≤ 0.0001), which is contrary to civilian data. Similar to civilian data, the prevalence of obesity was significantly associated with increased age, black or Hispanic/Latino race/ethnicity, and being married (P ≤ 0.01). US military personnel are not immune to the US obesity epidemic. Demographic characteristics associated with being overweight should be considered when developing military-sponsored weight management programs.