NCJ Number
165782
Date Published
1996
Length
24 pages
Annotation
Focus groups conducted as part of the Louisiana Health Initiative gathered the opinions of youths ages 10-19 from seven parts of the State regarding health concerns, health maintenance and disease prevention, self-perception and protective factors, adolescent reproductive health, and the ideal adolescent health center.
Abstract
The groups were conducted from November 1995 through August 1996. They were led by a team of trained and demographically diverse male and female facilitators. The 223 participants represented varied racial, ethnic, age, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Most of the 1-hour sessions had 8-12 participants. Each participant received $15 in cash together with t-shirts, coupons, certificates, and snacks. Results revealed that violence and crime, alcohol and other drugs, and guns and gangs were pervasive themes in both urban and rural groups, particularly in the New Orleans and East Baton Rouge areas. Rural groups spoke more of tobacco use, drinking and driving, boredom and a lack of things to do, and nutrition and exercise. The youths repeatedly emphasized the need for their parents to realize how their actions may directly or indirectly influence those of their children. Peer counseling and peer mentoring programs were popular. Teen centers were cited as the single most useful effort any health promotion or disease prevention program could support. Lists of recommendations and appended program guidelines and publicity flyer