Health and Risk Communication

Federal funding of abstinence-only education is fiscally, politically and scientifically irresponsible, writes Amy Bleakley in a column published in today’s Philadelphia Inquirer. Bleakley, a research scientist in the Health Communication Group of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, notes that studies confirm the programs are ineffective in preventing or delaying sexual activity among teens. They are losing political support among

U.S.-style labels have little influence on tobacco sales Washington – Large, graphic warning labels on cigarette packages similar to those used in Canada would serve as an important deterrent for new smokers and would encourage current smokers to quit, according to a research study released here today. “There is no more efficient method of reaching

Despite no basis in fact, newspapers continue to report on the increased risk of suicide around the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year holidays. An analysis of newspaper reporting over the past seven years released today by the Annenberg Public Policy Center shows that this story represents about half of all holiday-relevant suicide reporting. Stories linking

The way that the vaccine for human papillomavirus is described can affect whether women decide to seek vaccination, according to a study by researchers at the Center of Excellence in Cancer Communication Research of the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication. The research was presented in Boston at the American Association for Cancer Research’s

Abstinence-only sex education programs – a favorite of the Bush administration but criticized by many health experts – are not supported by a large majority of the American public, regardless of their political or religious ideologies, a new survey has found. Eighty percent of those surveyed favored a sex education curriculum that includes information about

Rates of Online Gambling Among Males 18-22 Doubled Last Year Two days after Congress cracked down on online gambling, new data released today show that more than one million young people currently are using Internet gambling sites on a monthly basis. Among males 18 to 22, Internet gambling doubled in the past year. The new