RFA-DP-24-138, Connections for Health: Centering school connection and health for rural young people

Education, Training, & Research Assocs, Scotts Valley CA

Investigators

Abstract

Abstract Connections for Health: Centering school connection and health for rural young people. Rural areas in the United States have higher rates of poverty and lower access to healthcare, including mental health services. Adolescents in rural areas are at higher risk for alcohol, tobacco, and other substance use, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections, yet often have diminished access to appropriate services. Comprehensive health education (CHE) that includes social, emotional, and sexual health has shown promise in improving health behaviors among adolescents in general, but the provision of health education may be hindered by a lack of financial and staffing resources in rural schools. The gap in resources and the unique needs and challenges regarding rural adolescent health indicate a need for CHE in schools adapted for rural context. Additionally, rural educators also face unique challenges, such as the impact of rural poverty and trauma on students, limited exposure by their students to a diverse group of peers, and greater scrutiny by the school board, local churches, and the community in general, which signify the need for professional development and attention to teacher wellness. Yet rural school districts face challenges with providing professional development for educators due to problems with funding as well as teacher recruitment and retention. The overarching goal of this project is to address health inequities among rural young people and improve the health and mental health of adolescents in rural schools. Our proposed approach, to be tested in a quasi-experimental design involving 14 rural high schools in a Mid-Atlantic state, includes key strategies core to CDC’s What Works in Schools: 1) an evidence-informed, skills-based comprehensive health education program (HealthSmart) that also addresses social and emotional and sexual health, and tailored to the needs of rural communities; and 2) a comprehensive professional development program to support teachers in addressing the complex needs of rural students and their own wellness. The project offers a number of innovations, including: • school and community input on the health education needs of rural youth and the program components; • online microskill modeling resources for educators to strengthen implementation quality within the sexual health unit; • professional development workshops to build capacity to effectively deliver the health curriculum, and to increase inclusion and students' sense of school belonging (especially for youth of color and LGBTQ+ youth) • a focus on teacher wellness to prevent workplace stress/burnout; • addressing gaps in the implementation science literature regarding school-based health promotion in rural settings; and • community-driven practices using science-based and equity frameworks.