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The use of the Internet presents relatively new and complex issues related to the safety and privacy of adolescents and young adults, and it's crucial that our understanding keep pace with these changes. Possible nurse-initiated policy recommendations include designing technologies and educational programs to help in the identification of suspicious online behaviors; strengthening Internet filters and privacy options for protecting students online; and school outreach for students who are harassed, threatened, or assaulted as a consequence of meeting someone online.

This study demonstrated that the well being of the grandmother and grandchild are both linked to good physical health. Thus, indicators of poor health for both grandchild and grandmother must be identified early. Grandmothers in this study were surprised at how much had changed in every aspect of child health since they had raised their own children. Nurses working with grandmothers who have custody of grandchildren should understand the dynamics of the relationship, the possibility of caregiver burden, provide anticipatory guidance about the changes in child care and child healthcare in the 21st century, and help link grandmothers who have little support to community programs.

Health attitudes and behaviors develop in childhood and progress through adolescence into adulthood. To better understand the health risk behaviors being undertaken by a seventh-grade urban population, a study was conducted to identify what health risk behaviors a group of adolescents were participating in. The purpose of this study was to describe (1) the types of health risk behaviors being undertaken, (2) the frequency of their taking health risk behaviors, and (3) the age of initiation of the health risk behavior. The findings from this study indicate that this sample of 54, urban seventh graders suffers from multidimensional health needs. These students participated in a variety of health risk behaviors, as measured by the Youth Risk Behaviors Surveillance System Questionnaire. These students have begun to smoke regularly, which correlated with the use of alcohol. They rate their health as being good or excellent but rarely met the daily requirements for intake of fruits and vegetables. And, although they rate their weight as being acceptable, most are trying to lose weight. Additionally, differences between the boys and girls were noted in weight perception, with girls more likely than boys to use smoking as the primary method of weight control. Nursing is in an ideal position to provide effective primary care interventions and community health outreach to this adolescent population.

Despite reports that over 1.3 million school-age children (ages 5–18) were homeless in 2019, little is known about the effects of homelessness on their overall health and well-being. To better understand where gaps exist, a scoping review of the literature was conducted to identify studies of the physical, mental, and behavioral health risks and outcomes of school-age children experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Following the Joanna Briggs Institute framework and Preferred Reporting Items (PRISMA) guidelines, seven electronic databases were searched using key words: homelessness, children, health, and well-being. Of the 4,372 records, 23 articles met inclusion criteria. Most examined mental health and high-risk activities or behavioral risks related to school achievement. Few studies tracked the long-term health outcomes of homeless school-age children. Findings have implications for school nurses who have contact with children experiencing homelessness and are in position to intervene to prevent negative health sequelae in this vulnerable population.

During the past decade there has been an increase in the prevalence of grandmothers raising their grandchildren because of parental drug use and child neglect and maltreatment in the United States. A study was designed and conducted to examine the relationship between caregiver burden and caregiver physical health for grandmothers raising their high-risk grandchildren. The sample consisted of 104 grandmothers. The findings indicated that caregiver physical health correlated strongly with level of burden and financial status. Further analysis suggests physical health variables had an observable impact on caregiver burden. Because this study indicates, from descriptive and correlational statistics, that the well-being of the grandmother and grandchild are both linked to the grandmother's physical health, there are numerous nursing interventions that may support a positive outcome for both. The provision of emotional and psychosocial support, coupled with health education and periodic health evaluations, are known to improve a grandmother's perception of her own health. Nurses can use the measures of caregiver burden to develop care plans targeting the health issues most likely to improve a grandmother's functional ability to remain the primary caregiver for a high-risk grandchild.

No abstract

Health risk behaviors undertaken in adolescence, such as drinking alcohol and smoking, can have a lasting consequence on both short-term and long-term health. To better describe the health risk behaviors being undertaken by an urban adolescent population, a study was conducted at two parochial, middle schools in the Southwest section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. The study purpose was to describe the types of health risk behaviors being undertaken by a seventh grade student population, the frequency of health risk behaviors, and the age of initiation of the health risk behavior.A descriptive, correlational study was undertaken with 105 seventh graders (ages of 11 to 13 years) from two middle schools using the Youth Risk Behaviors Surveillance System (YRBSS) Questionnaire. Information was collected about health risk behaviors such as alcohol use and tobacco use and feeling safe. Findings indicated that these adolescent students reported increased incidence of health risk behaviors including alcohol use, smoking, and carrying weapons to combat their feeling unsafe in their neighborhoods. Interestingly, there were differences between schools in the type of health risk behaviors in which the students participated. Nurses are often in an ideal position to assess the health and behaviors of adolescents and to offer education, health promotion, and support to this at-risk population.