With extensive Hispanic community involvement, a television, radio, and storybook novela were developed to improve Hispanic parent-youth communications and youth attitudes regarding alcohol. Focus groups with the target audiences determined the novelas' concentration on alcohol, their medium and language of choice for Hispanic youth versus parents, and the health messages and cultural values to be portrayed. Reactions to the novelas were obtained via self-report surveys, random street interviews, radio listener call-ins, and community group meetings. Favorable reactions were obtained regarding the novelas' cultural sensitivity and appropriateness, and their potential to affect future behavior change. The affect of the television novela on Hispanic youth was evaluated by a pre-post self-report survey administered to middle and high school students. Survey results indicated the television novela may have had some positive impact on Hispanic youth attitudes and behavioral intentions regarding alcohol. The evaluation time line was limiting, however, and further evaluation is required.

The study assessed the impact of health care provider HIV/AIDS education and training on patient care from nine Special Projects of National Significance. Telephone interviews were conducted with 218 health care providers within 8 months, on average, following completion of training. Respondents provided examples of how the SPNS trainings affected their provision of patient/client care. Transcribed comments reflecting change in patient/client care were classified by independent coders under 1 of 10 broad practice change categories. Eighty-two percent of the trainees identified at least one instance of change in patient/client care as a function of their training experience. Self-reported findings included changes in the number/types of patients seen, interpersonal interactions with patients/clients, HIV testing and counseling practices, patient/family education, infection control, advocacy, referrals and collaboration, documentation, and other service changes.

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Married individuals tend to enjoy greater health and well-being than nonmarried. However, investigators disagree about whether this is related to the quality of the marriage or to participation in the socially accepted role of marriage. In the present study, we examined the roles of marital quality and marital status as predictors of the family's adjustment processes in the context of maternal chronic illness. We found that the family functioning of single women and unhappily married women was similar and that happily married women enjoyed higher levels of family functioning and family coping. Unhappily married women reported more illness demands, particularly on their time and energy, than did happily married or single women. We suggest it is the quality of the marital interaction, and not the role benefits of marriage, that facilitates family adjustment under conditions of maternal chronic illness.