Are those things different for boys and girls and different for kids from different communities, racial-ethnic backgrounds, and different financial situations, and if so, why?
For example, why do more boys than girls use chewing tobacco and participate on sports teams?
Where will this study take place?
The study will take place in Birmingham, Alabama; Houston, Texas; and Los Angeles, California. Those three cities are good settings for the study as they have many different kinds of families, schools, and neighborhoods.
How will you conduct the study?
Healthy Passages will be carried out in two phases. Phase 1 took place
from January 2003 - August 2003. During that time, we talked with nearly
700 fifth grade kids and their parents. The information from Phase 1 helped
us develop and implement Phase II.
Phase II begins in September 2004 and continues for up to 11 years.
During Phase II 5,250 fifth grade kids and one of their parents will be
invited to join Healthy Passages. We will talk to these families every
year or two for up to 11 years to see how kids are doing over time. We
want to talk to the kids to find out how they feel about themselves, their
family, their schools, and their neighborhoods. We want to talk to a parent
about the child's health, school performance, family life, housing, and
any special needs. To thank families for taking part in the study, we
will give the child and the parent a payment for their time.
As part of this study we also will collect information from other places
that could help keep kids healthy. We will talk to the child's teacher
and other school staff. That information will help us understand how each
child interacts with others while in school as well as describe the school
setting. We will collect information about each child's school attendance,
grades, test scores, and special program participation from school records.
To thank the teachers and school staff for their time, we will give them
a cash payment or gift certificate. We also will look at the child's environment
including his/her school and neighborhood. This will help us learn what
school and neighborhood factors help keep kids healthy.
How will families be chosen?
In each city, elementary schools will be chosen randomly. In each school,
all fifth-graders and their parents will be invited to be in the study.
Each parent will receive a letter that their child is eligible to be in
Healthy Passages. Study staff will contact each parent who expresses interest
in the study to give them more information and find out if they would
like to be part of Healthy Passages.
Why are you starting with fifth graders?
We are starting with fifth grade kids for two main reasons. First, most fifth grade kids are healthy and we want to find out why some kids continue to be healthy throughout adolescence and why some kids begin to engage in risky behaviors. Second, by starting with kids in fifth grade we are able to look at how transitions effect the health of these kids - from elementary school to middle school to high school to college or work.
What do children and parents need to do?
Once a child and his or her parent agree to be in the study, we will
set up a time for an interview. The interview takes 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
We have one set of questions for children and a different set of questions
for parents. In addition, we would like to measure both height and weight
for each child and parent and measure the child's waist circumference.
What type of questions will you ask the fifth grade kids?
The child interview will include topics such as physical activity and
nutrition, physical and mental health, tobacco use, alcohol use, drug
use, injuries and violence, aggressive behaviors, substance use, romantic
interests, family relationships, peer relationships, school experiences,
and media exposure.
What type of questions will you ask parents?
The parent interview will be mainly about the child's health and well-being. The interview will include topics such as the child's health care, health history, health problems, injuries, and exposure to violence; the family health history; family relationships; parental involvement in school activities; and the neighborhood environment.
When and where will the interviews take place?
The child and parent interviews will take place at a convenient time and location. The interviews can be done in the child's home or in another convenient location such as school or a community center. Two interviewers will come to the house (or other location). One person will interview the parent and one person will interview the child.
Who will see the information that is collected?
Privacy of the child and parent information is very important. Only the study staff will see the information collected in the study. All answers will be kept confidential and the information will be kept in a secure location. The information will be reported for each of the three cities and for all three cities combined. No individuals, families, schools, or communities ever will be identified.
Can this study really help keep kids healthy?
Yes. If we can learn what things help keep kids healthy, we can help schools and communities develop and implement programs and policies that will make a difference in kids' lives. Information for each city and for the three cities combined will be given to parents; schools; community leaders; city, county, and state officials; and national organizations that design and fund child services and programs.
Who helped to plan this study?
Researchers, school and community members, parents, and children all were involved in planning for Healthy Passages.
Who is paying for this study?
This study is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The CDC is the lead federal agency for protecting the health and safety of people - at home and abroad, providing credible information to enhance health decisions, and promoting health through strong partnerships. CDC serves as the national focus for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion and education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States.
What if I have more questions?
If you have specific questions about the study in your city, you can contact:
If you have general questions about the overall study, you can contact:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Jo Anne Grunbaum, Ed.D.
Telephone: 770-488-6182
E-mail:
jgrunbaum@cdc.gov
