The Effectiveness of universal school-based programs for the prevention of violent and aggressive behavior: a report on recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services

"Universal school-based programs to reduce or prevent violent behavior are delivered to all children in classrooms in a grade or in a school. Similarly, programs targeted to schools in high-risk areas (defined by low socioeconomic status or high crime rates) are delivered to all children in a grade or school in those high-risk areas. During 2004-2006, the Task Force on Community Preventive Services (Task Force) conducted a systematic review of published scientific evidence concerning the effectiveness of these programs. The results of this review provide strong evidence that universal school-based programs decrease rates of violence and aggressive behavior among school-aged children. Program effects were demonstrated at all grade levels. An independent meta-analysis of school-based programs confirmed and supplemented these findings. On the basis of strong evidence of effectiveness, the Task Force recommends the use of universal school-based programs to prevent or reduce violent behavior." - p. 1prepared by Robert Hahn, Dawna Fuqua-Whitley, Holly Wethington, Jessica Lowy, Akiva Liberman, Alex Crosby, Mindy Fullilove, Robert Johnson, Eve Moscicki, LeShawndra Price, Susan R. Snyder, Farris Tuma, Stella Cory, Glenda Stone, Kaushik Mukhopadhaya, Sajal Chattopadhyay, Linda Dahlberg."August 10, 2007."Cover title."The material in this report originated in the National Center for Health Marketing, Jay M. Bernhardt, PhD, Director; and the Division of Health Communication and Marketing, Cynthia E. Baur, PhD, Director. " - p. 1Also available via the World Wide Web.Includes bibliographical references (p. 8-11)

Strategies for reducing exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, increasing tobacco-use cessation, and reducing initiation in communities and health-care systems: a report on recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services

Reducing tobacco-related morbidity and death is an ongoing challenge for health-care providers, health-care systems, and public health programs. Interventions are available that a) reduce exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, b) reduce tobacco-use initiation, and c) increase tobacco-use cessation. The Task Force on Community Preventive Services has conducted systematic reviews on 14 selected interventions, which are appropriate for communities and health-care systems, and has made recommendations regarding use of these interventions. This report summarizes the recommendations, identifies sources that offer full reviews of the interventions and details about applying the interventions locally, and provides an updateBackground -- Introduction -- Methods -- Results -- Use of the recommendations in communities and health-care systems -- Additional information about the community guide -- References.November 10, 2000.The following CDC staff members prepared this report: David P. Hopkins, Peter A. Briss, Jeffrey R. Harris, Connie J. Ricard, Niels Rosenquist,Includes bibliographical references (p. 10-11)

Improving influenza, pneumococcal polysaccharide, and hepatitis B vaccination coverage among adults aged <65 years at high risk: a report on recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services

The Task Force on Community Preventive Services conducted systematic reviews to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to improve targeted vaccination coverage (i.e., coverage with vaccines recommended for some but not all persons in an age range on the basis of risk for exposure or disease) among adults aged <65 years at high risk when implemented alone (single-component interventions) and in combination with other interventions (multicomponent interventions). A 1999 report by the Task Force examined the effectiveness of interventions to increase coverage with universally recommended vaccinations (i.e., vaccines recommended for all persons in particular age groups). Three targeted vaccinations recommended for populations at risk are addressed in this review: influenza, pneumococcal polysaccharide, and hepatitis B. The Task Force identified evidence that certain combinations of interventions have improved vaccination coverage. To increase targeted vaccination coverage, the Task Force recommends a combination of interventions that include selected interventions from two or three categories of interventions (i.e., increasing community demand for vaccinations, enhancing access to vaccination services, and provider- or system-based interventions). The Task Force also recommends provider reminders, when implemented alone, to improve targeted vaccination coverage. This report provides additional information about population-based interventions to improve the coverage of influenza, pneumococcal polysaccharide, and hepatitis B vaccines among populations at risk, briefly describes how the reviews were conducted, and provides information that can help in applying the interventions locally.prepared by Bayo C. Willis, Serigne M. Ndiaye, David P. Hopkins, Abigail Shefer.April 1, 2005The material in this report was prepared by the Epidemiology Program Office, Division of Prevention and Research and Analytic Methods.Includes bibliographical references (p.9-11)

Therapeutic foster care for prevention of violence: a report on recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services

In therapeutic foster care programs, youths who cannot live at home are placed in homes with foster parents who have been trained to provide a structured environment that supports their learning social and emotional skills. To assess the effectiveness of such programs in preventing violent behavior among participating youths, the Task Force on Community Preventive Services conducted a systematic review of the scientific literature regarding these programs. Reported and observed violence, including violent crime, were direct measures. Proxy measures were externalizing behavior (i.e., behavior in which psychological problems are acted out), conduct disorder, and arrests, convictions, or delinquency, as ascertained from official records, for acts that might have included violence. Reviewed studies assessed two similar interventions, distinguished by the ages and underlying problems of the target populations. Therapeutic foster care for reduction of violence by children with severe emotional disturbance (hereafter referred to as cluster therapeutic foster care) involved programs (average duration: 18 months) in which clusters of foster-parent families cooperated in the care of children (aged 5-13 years) with severe emotional disturbance. The Task Force found insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of this intervention in preventing violence. Therapeutic foster care for the reduction of violence by chronically delinquent adolescents (hereafter referred to as program-intensive therapeutic foster care) involved short-term programs (average duration: 6-7 months) in which program personnel collaborated closely and daily with foster families caring for adolescents (aged 12-18 years) with a history of chronic delinquency. On the basis of sufficient evidence of effectiveness, the Task Force recommends this intervention for prevention of violence among adolescents with a history of chronic delinquency. This report briefly describes how the reviews were conducted, provides additional information about the findings, and provides information that might help communities in applying the intervention locally.Introduction -- Methods -- Results -- Research concerns -- Use of the recommendation in states and communities -- Additional information about the Community Guide -- Referencesprepared by Robert A. Hahn, Jessica Lowy, Oleg Bilukha, Susan Snyder, Peter Briss, Alex Crosby, Mindy T. Fullilove, Farris Tuma, Eve K. Moscicki, Akiva Liberman, Amanda Schofield, Phaedra S. Corso.January 16, 2004.The material in this report originated in the National Center for Environmental Health; the Office of Genomics and Disease Prevention; the Division of Laboratory Sciences, the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental and the Division of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities; the National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, the Division of AIDS, STD, and TB Laboratory Research; and the Public Health Practice Program Office, and the Division of Laboratory Systems.Includes bibliographical references and index (p. 7-8)

Increasing physical activity: a report on recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services

The Task Force on Community Preventive Services (the Task Force) has conducted systematic reviews of community interventions to increase physical activity. The Task Force either strongly recommends or recommends six interventions: two informational approaches (i.e., communitywide campaigns and point-of-decision prompts to encourage use of stairs); three behavioral and social approaches (i.e., school-based physical education, social support interventions in community settings [e.g., setting up a buddy system or contracting with another person to complete specified levels of physical activity], and individually adapted health behavior change programs); and one intervention to increase physical activity by using environmental and policy approaches (i.e., creation of or enhanced access to places for physical activity, combined with informational outreach activities). The Task Force found insufficient evidence on which to base recommendations for classroom-based health education focused on information provision, behavioral skills, and social support interventions in family settings because of inconsistent findings; mass media campaigns, college-age physical education, and health education because of an insufficient number of studies; and classroom-based health education focusing on reducing television viewing and video game playing because of the lack of a demonstrated link between reduced time spent watching television or playing video games and increased physical activity. This report provides additional information regarding the recommendations, briefly describes how the reviews were conducted, and provides information that can help in applying the interventions locally.Background -- Introduction -- Methods -- Results -- Using the recommendations in communities -- Additional information regarding the Community Guide -- References.October 26, 2001.The following CDC staff members prepared this report: Emily B. Kahn, Leigh Taylor Ramsey, Division of Prevention Research and Analytic Methods, Epidemiology Program Office; Gregory W. Heath, Elizabeth H. Howze, Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.Includes bibliographical references (p. 33-42)

Screening for Ovarian Cancer: Recommendation Statement

This statement summarizes the current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation on screening for ovarian cancer and the supporting evidence, and updates the 1996 recommendations contained in the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, Second Edition: Periodic Updates.1 In 1996, the USPSTF recommended against routine screening for ovarian cancer (a “D” recommendation). Explanations of the ratings and of the strength of overall evidence are given in Appendix A and in Appendix B, respectively. The complete information on which this statement is based, including evidence tables and references, is available in the brief evidence update “Screening for Ovarian Cancer,”2 available through the USPSTF Web site at http://www.preventiveservices.ahrq.gov and through the National Guideline Clearinghouse™ (http://www.guideline.gov). The recommendation statement and brief evidence updates are also available from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Publications Clearinghouse in print through subscription to the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, Third Edition: Periodic Updates

Screening for Visual Impairment in Children Younger Than Age 5 Years: Recommendation Statement

This statement summarizes the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation on screening for visual impairment in children younger than age 5 years and the supporting evidence, and updates the 1996 recommendations contained in the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, Second Edition: Periodic Updates. In updating its recommendations for children, the USPSTF limited its review to the most common causes of visual impairment: amblyopia (including amblyogenic risk factors), and refractive error not associated with amblyopia. Explanations of the ratings and of the strength of overall evidence are given in Appendix A and Appendix B, respectively. The complete information on which this statement is based, including evidence tables and references, is available in the systematic evidence review1 and the update of the evidence2 on this topic, available through the USPSTF Web site http://www.preventiveservices. ahrq.gov and through the National Guideline Clearinghouse™ (http://www.guideline.gov.) The recommendation statement and update of the evidence are also available from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Publications Clearinghouse in print through subscription to the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, Third Edition: Periodic Updates

Partner Interference with Health Care: Do We Want One More Piece of a Complex Puzzle?

As I sit down to write, scattered images of former patients fill my mind: a well-educated, elderly woman presenting to the hospital 2 days after having a large myocardial infarction; a young diabetic woman with erratic blood glucose control; one of my colleague’s “frequent flyers” coming in to see me on a Friday afternoon, panicked, asking for yet another early refill of her hydrocodone; a very ill, middle-aged woman whose doting husband kept immaculate notes on her many medical issues and 12 medications. Each of these women has her own, complex story. Each had a partner who negatively interfered with her medical care

Community interventions to promote healthy social environments: : early childhood development and family housing : a report on recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services

"The sociocultural environment exerts a fundamental influence on health. Interventions to improve education, housing, employment, and access to health care contribute to healthy and safe environments and improved community health. The Task Force on Community Preventive Services (the Task Force) has conducted systematic reviews of early childhood development interventions and family housing interventions. The topics selected provide a unique, albeit small, beginning of the review of evidence that interventions do effectively address sociocultural factors that influence health. Based on these reviews, the Task Force strongly recommends publicly funded, center-based, comprehensive early childhood development programs for low-income children aged 3-5 years. The basis for the recommendation is evidence of effectiveness in preventing developmental delay, assessed by improvements in grade retention and placement in special education. The Task Force also recommends housing subsidy programs for low-income families, which provide rental vouchers for use in the private housing market and allow families choice in residential location. This recommendation is based on outcomes of improved neighborhood safety and families' reduced exposure to violence. The Task Force concludes that insufficient evidence is available on which to base a recommendation for or against creation of mixed-income housing developments that provide safe and affordable housing in neighborhoods with adequate goods and services. This report provides additional information regarding these recommendations, briefly describes how the reviews were conducted, and discusses implications for applying the interventions locally." - p. 1prepared by Laurie M. Anderson, Carolynne Shinn, Joseph St. Charles, Division of Prevention Research and Analytic Methods, Epidemiology Program Office ; in collaboration with Mindy T. Fullilove [et al.]Includes bibliographical references (p. 8)

Interventions for preventing dental caries, oral and pharyngeal cancers, and sports-related craniofacial injuries

"November 30, 2001."Cover title.The following CDC staff members prepared this report:: Benedict I. Truman, Barbara F. Gooch, Iddrisu Sulemana.Includes bibliographical references (p. 12-13)