The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #48200

Peter C. Olden, PhD, Graduate Health Administration Program, University of Scranton, Jefferson Avenue, Scranton, PA 18510, 570 941 4242, oldenp1@uofs.edu

Young people today comprise an important target population for health promotion. Every day they face many risk factors, and at some time must make choices involving tobacco, alcohol, diet, exercise, sexuality, driving, stress, emotions, and other health issues. They can be negatively influenced by advertising, movies, and other elements of contemporary culture. Health promotion conferences for adolescents and teenagers can help to positively influence them to develop healthy lifestyles. Reaching them through their schools is an opportunity for health administrators and educators, but problems can arise when seeking the cooperation of schools. Lack of funds and resources can be a second problem for such youth health promotion conferences. Collaboration among a university, health organizations, and school systems have successfully led to three different day-long tobacco prevention conferences for high school students, who then go into middle schools to do anti-tobacco education with youngsters. School system participation grew from ten, to twelve, and then eighteen different school systems. Lessons from these conferences would likely be useful for gaining the resources and the participation of schools for health promotion conferences aimed at a variety of youth health issues.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) will be able to

• Describe how a university, ten school systems, and multiple health organizations collaborated to deliver three different full-day conferences to prevent students' tobacco use.
• Identify problems and solutions for how to gain active participation from the school systems.
• Identify problems and solutions for how to gain needed resources.

Keywords: Community Collaboration, Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: I worked with local organizations to implement youth tobacco prevention conferences. These organizations include the University of Scranton (where I am employed) and the American Cancer Society Lackawanna Unit (where I am an unpaid Board member).
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: I am employed as an Associate Professor at the University of Scranton, and I am a volunteer member of the American Cancer Society Lackawanna Unit Board of Directors.