Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health
Since the 1980s, the RAND Corporation has conducted research on the health of infants, children, adolescents, and families. Our far-ranging studies address the special health challenges posed by different stages in human development. Current studies are highlighted below.
Profiles of Current Research
Highlights of Recent Studies
How Schools Responded to Student Mental Health Needs Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
This fact sheet summarizes a study that examined how schools in the U.S. Gulf Coast region perceived the mental health needs of students after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and how schools responded.Teens Who Work Are More Likely to Smoke
Working for pay in and around the tenth grade is associated with increased smoking among teens.New Perspectives on Marijuana and Youth
Youthful marijuana abstainers do well, solitary users do poorly, and kids who use marijuana only in social settings are in between.Forging the Link Between Alcohol Advertising and Underage Drinking.
Alcohol advertising appears to promote adolescent drinking; programs that aim to prevent alcohol and drug use can blunt the impact of alcohol ads on youth.How Neighborhoods Can Reduce the Risk of Obesity
Neighborhood parks promote exercise, especially among those who live within a half mile of the park. In fact, neighborhoods exert a powerful effect on residents' physical activity—neighborhood design should be considered a public health issue.Does Watching Sex on Television Influence Teens' Sexual Activity?
Teens who watch a lot of television with sexual content are more likely to initiate intercourse in the following year, according to two RAND studies summarized in this fact sheet. However, shows that portray the risks of sex can help educate teens.
Related Web Sites
Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS)
http://www.rand.org/health/projects/cbits/
Project ALERT
Promising Practices Network on Children, Families, and Communities
RAND Drug Policy Research Center
Safe Start Evaluation
Teen Depression Awareness Project
UCLA/RAND Center for Adolescent Health Promotion
Working with Congress
RAND's Washington Office of Congressional Relations (OCR) furthers RAND's mission to provide objective analysis and effective solutions by disseminating research results to Congress and federal agencies. The OCR publishes a monthly electronic newsletter featuring current work on health policy. Contact: Shirley Ruhe (Shirley_Ruhe@rand.org) or Kristy Anderson (kristy@rand.org).
The RAND Health Congressional Newsletter
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