American Journal of Health Studies

Bridging the Gap: The Untapped Role of Health Education Specialists in Addressing Human Trafficking of Foreign- Born Individuals in the United States

Nida Qamar, Sharon Morrison — Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Human trafficking disproportionately affects foreign-born individuals in the United States, yet identification and prevention remain fragmented across sectors. This critical review synthesizes literature published between 2014 and 2024 to analyze multilevel barriers through the Social Ecological Model (SEM) and to clarify the underutilized role of Health Education Specialists (HES, including CHES/MCHES) in anti-trafficking efforts. Searches across PubMed, EBSCO, Google Scholar, and targeted gray literature identified recurring barriers: inconsistent and culturally nonresponsive screening, limited provider training, fragmented referral and data systems, and policy environments that deter disclosure among immigrants and refugees. We mapped Health Education Specialist Practice Analysis III (HESPA III) Areas of Responsibility aligned with the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center (NHTTAC) Core competencies to examine conceptual alignment and practical implementation opportunities. Findings reveal substantial alignment – HES competencies in assessment, communication, implementation, leadership/management, evaluation, research, and advocacy correspond directly to NHTTAC’s expectations for trauma- and survivor-informed, culturally responsive practice. Integrating HES across SEM levels can strengthen upstream prevention, improve culturally and linguistically concordant outreach, standardize cross-sector referral pathways, and advance policy and data standards that enhance identification and continuity of care for foreign-born survivors. By naming and mobilizing this prevention-oriented workforce, health systems can shift from reactive case processing to coordinated, community-grounded strategies that better support individuals experiencing or at risk of trafficking.

Activity Trackers and Physical Activity Among Youth in Low-Resource Settings

Kara C. Hamilton, Karissa P. Rein — Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Regular physical activity in children reduces the risk of chronic diseases later in life. Economically disadvantaged children are particularly at risk for physical inactivity and related chronic health conditions, making them a priority population for intervention. Wearable activity trackers may boost children's moderate to vigorous activity (MVPA). Objective This study examined if wearing an activity tracker watch (ATW) increased MVPA and step count in 34 economically disadvantaged children (8–11yrs) during a 7-week after-school program. Design A counterbalanced, within-subject design and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests compared MVPA and step count between weeks with and without ATWs. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests explored the impact of sex, BMI, and age on these differences. Results When participants wore ATWs, MVPA (median = 10.7 min, IQR = 8.7–12.6) was higher than when ATWs were not worn (median = 9.2 min, IQR = 7.4–13.4), Z = −3.67, p < .001, r = .63. Step count was also higher in the ATW condition (median = 1,268 steps, IQR = 1,164–1,613) compared to the ACC condition (median = 1,096 steps, IQR = 895–1,429), Z = −3.72, p < .001, r = .64. No significant differences were found by BMI category, age, or sex. Conclusions Despite modest absolute increases, the presence of an activity tracker during an after-school physical activity program was associated with higher MVPA and step counts, indicating that tracker reactivity may modestly enhance activity during structured programs in low-resource settings.

The Impact of COVID-19 on College Students’ Well-being: A National Snapshot From Spring 2020

Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

COVID-19 has been pervasive on college campuses. However, there is limited understanding about the impact of COVID-19 on college students at the outset of the epidemic in the U.S. This study examined a national sample of college students’ COVID-19 experiences in spring 2020, a time in which there were few studies with robust samples. COVID-19-related questions were added to two national college health surveys: the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment III and Healthy Minds Study. Surveys were administered at 14 colleges/universities with 18,764 total respondents between March-May 2020. The sample was weighted to account for non-response, and descriptive statistics were calculated. Results indicated that one-third of students had to change living situations due to COVID-19, and two-thirds had more financial stress. Of those who sought mental healthcare, over 60% found it more difficult to access. Approximately 41% witnessed discriminatory behavior due to perceived race/ethnicity, while 5.5% experienced it personally. Most respondents adhered to recommended personal protective behaviors, but a substantial number were not consistently compliant. Students generally believed their institution’s administration and faculty were supportive. These findings demonstrate that COVID-19 negatively affected students in multi-faceted ways at the beginning of the epidemic.
Institutions of higher education are critical locales for health promotion efforts to improve students’ wellbeing, and college students are an important priority population for ongoing research. These results have implications for better understanding the immediate impact of COVID-19 on college students while also providing insights and lessons learned for future public health emergencies.

Variation in Problem Behaviors Due to History of MDMA or 'Ecstasy' Use among African American Female Juvenile Detainees

Torrance Stephens, Christopher Bass — Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The objective of this investigation was to examine the extent to which ecstasy use is associated with the occurrence of problem violent behaviors in a sample of African American female adolescent detainees and to determine if differences, if any, could be observed between users and non-users. Participants were 749 self-described African American females drawn from a sample of 2260 juveniles. The level of severity and variation between self-reported use of ecstasy before present incarceration and problem violent behaviors were examined using an independent sample t-test to compare the mean scores against those of non-ecstasy users. The mean age of study participants was 14.8 years (SD = 1.23). Results of the Independent t-test revealed respondents who reported using Ecstasy were significantly more likely to indicate having carried a razor, switchblade, or gun to use it (t=2.60, p=0.009) and using a weapon such as a club, knife, or gun to get something from someone's business (t=3.49, p=0.001). These findings may be used to inform the development of health preventive interventions for at-risk female adolescent juvenile offenders to reduce risk practices associated with MDMA use while incarcerated.