public health Research paper

EXAMPLE ANNOTATION Strunk, C., King, K., Vidourek, R., & Sorter, M. (2014). Effectiveness of the Surviving the Teens Suicide Prevention and Depression Awareness Program: An Impact Evaluation Utilizing a Comparison Group. Health Education & Behavior, 41 (6), 605 - 613. This article tests a school -based suicide prevention program meant to support depression and raise awareness about suicidal tendencies to prevent suicide . Strunk et al. studied the effectiveness of the Surviving the Teens Suicide Prevention and Depression Awareness Program by c ollecting pre and post evaluation surveys . The program is based off of the social cognitive theory and focuses on the National Institute of Mental Health ’s key factors for suicide, depression and substance abuse. Students at n ine high schools in the greater Cincinnati area participated in the program and five similar high schools were used as control s. Results indicated that program participants were better able to help a suicidal friend, understood the importance of knowing suicidal warning signs, had a greater intention to help their friends or themselves if suicidal, had a decreased sense of stigma related to suicide, depression and counseling, and felt more confident about talking about these problems. There were a number of limitations to this study, including a lack of long -term follow -up, the results were based on self - reported surveys, and the study occurred in one metropolitan area.