Assessing needs for youth health promotion

Children and adolescents recently have become a group targeted for health promotion efforts. It is argued that early behavioral intervention will alter patterns of behavior that might place young people at increased risk for chronic diseases later in life. The Minnesota Heart Health Program is a longitudinal, community-based research and demonstration project to improve cardiovascular health in three north central communities. Reductions in cigarette smoking, improved eating and exercise patterns, and hypertension management are targeted objectives. To design educational interventions for children and adolescents in these areas as part of this program, a behavioral needs assessment was conducted in the communities prior to program implementation. This needs assessment focused on existing behavior patterns, skills related to the targeted behaviors, and environmental influences. This article describes that needs assessment, the results from two of the communities, differences due to gender and age of student, and the implications of the results for designing intervention activities for children and adolescents.