Awareness of Substance Abuse and Other Health-Related Behaviors Among Preschool Children (From Drug Abuse: Foundation for a Psychosocial Approach, P 142-151, 1984, Seymour Eiseman, Joseph A Wingard, et al, eds. - See NCJ-169972)

• NCJ Number: 169984
• Author(s): F S Tennant Jr
• Date Published: 1984
• Length: 10 pages
• Sale Source: Baywood Publishing Co, Inc.
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DCC

Annotation

Since the age at which health-related behaviors emerge in children is of critical interest and successful primary prevention of certain behaviors may depend on influencing attitudes and beliefs of children, a study was conducted to determine awareness of drug abuse and other health-related behaviors among a group of preschool children who received routine physical examinations at a general medical clinic in Los Angeles County.

Abstract

The sample consisted of 46 children, 23 male and 23 female. The mean family income was about $11,000 a year, and half the children had a Spanish surname. Children were interviewed by a trained person, and neither parents nor teachers were present. Each child was asked to identify certain health-related behaviors, explain their health implications, state whether they had ever practiced the behaviors, and identify sources of knowledge about the behaviors. Responses from boys and girls were not significantly different on any question. With the exception of drug abuse, over 85 percent of children identified the depicted health-related behavior. Only 15 children could identify the concept of drug consumption for nonmedical purposes. Health benefits or hazards associated with each behavior were variously known to children. Only 15 identified the hazards of alcohol consumption, while 34 knew the benefits of wearing a seat belt, and brushing their teeth, and the hazards of committing violence against another person. Sources of knowledge about health-related behaviors were parents, television, church, siblings, and teachers. A high percentage of children reported they had either practiced the following health-related behaviors one or more times or planned to do so in the future: smoke cigarettes, exercise, overeat, abuse drugs, and drink alcohol. The demonstrated awareness of preschool children about health-related behaviors indicates they may be a suitable target population for prevention and education efforts. 30 references and 8 tables