|
|
|
|
|
Nikeea Linder, PhD, Susanna Nemes, PhD, Joy Haviland, BA, Salvatore Libretto, PhD, and AnnaCarin Johansson, MS. Danya International, Inc., 8737 Colesville Road, Suite 1200, Silver Spring, MD 20910, 301-565-2142, nlinder@danya.com
Adolescents who work more than 15 hours per week are at greater risk for substance abuse and other risky behaviors as compared to their nonworking counterparts. The workplace presents a significant opportunity to develop a prevention pathway for youth substance abuse and other health risks. While considerable research has been conducted on school-based and family-based prevention programs for youth, the workforce delivery system is a virtually untapped resource for conducting prevention programs for 16 to 24 year olds employed part- or full-time. In response to the need for worksite health promotion programs for this population, an in-service intervention for 16 to 24 year old employees was developed with funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The DVD based intervention provides prevention interventions for alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, unintended pregnancies, weight-related diseases, and anger management. The intervention, titled “Young Workers Living in Balance: A Comprehensive Wellness Program for the Workplace,” is empirically based and incorporates Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. It consists of several complementary components including video presentations, a training manual, booster sessions, and health promotion materials. This presentation will describe the development of the intervention, including the results of a needs assessment conducted with employers as well as youth focus group and employer feedback on the feasibility of the intervention. In addition, results from a pilot test with youth will be presented. Furthermore, strategies and implications for implementing health promotion activities for youth in the workplace will be discussed.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Youth at Work, Prevention
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.