New Youth-Related Resources from the CDC
February 16, 2009 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) has released new resources to help schools keep students healthy and ready to learn: 1) A new noise-induced hearing loss webpage; 2) New School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) 2006 District Report Cards and fact sheets; and 3) An updated Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT).
According to the CDC, an estimated 12.5% of children and adolescents aged 6-19 have suffered permanent hearing damage from excessive exposure to noise. Hearing plays a major role in communication, speech and language development, and learning. Studies show that without proper intervention, children with mild to moderate hearing loss, on average, do not perform as well in school as children with no hearing problems. This gap in academic achievement widens as students progress through school.
To help address this problem, DASH recently created a noise-induced hearing loss webpage. The webpage includes a brief background and data on the issue; lists strategies for preventing noise-induced hearing loss; and provides ways to promote hearing health in schools including establishing policies that promote the hearing health of students and staff; establishing and maintaining routine hearing screening for all students; and implementing hearing loss prevention education. The webpage also includes findings from the SHPPS 2006 on hearing screening in schools and two publications that offer science-based strategies to deal with hearing loss including “Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Noise Exposure – Revised Criteria.”
DASH has also released new SHPPS 2006 District Report Cards that show whether or not certain health policies and programs are being offered within several districts around the country. Each districts’ full report can be viewed, in addition to reports by the following components: Health education; Physical education and activity; Health services; Mental health and social services; Nutrition services; Healthy and safe school environment; and Faculty and staff health promotion.
Furthermore, two new SHPPS fact sheets have recently been published: School Health Coordination and Nutriton Services. The first one shows that 67.8% of school districts had someone who oversees or coordinates school health, but that only 20.7% received any training in their role as a school health coordinator. This fact sheet also includes data and statistics on school health councils. The second fact sheet reveals that 18% of states and 74.1% of districts required all schools to offer breakfast to students. This fact sheet includes data on food service directors and managers, the percentage of districts that provided ideas to schools to help improve student nutrition, and the percentage of schools that almost always or always used healthy eating food preparation practices.
In addition, DASH has updated the HECAT (Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool), a tool that can help school districts, schools, and others conduct a clear, complete, and consistent analysis of health education curricula based on the National Health Education Standards and CDC’s Characteristics of Effective Health Education Curricula. The updated version includes two new modules: Sexual Health and Personal Health and Wellness. Other modules offered in the tool include: Alcohol and Other Drugs; Healthy Eating; Mental and Emotional Health; Physical Activity; Safety; Tobacco; and Violence Prevention. HECAT results can help schools select or develop appropriate and effective health education curricula and improve health education. This tool can be customized to meet local, state or school district needs and conform to their specific curriculum requirements.
To access these and other DASH resources, please click here.
Source: DASH website.