Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Special programs for teenagers may help reduce the risk that they'll get caught up in incidents involving violence or alcohol.
Hi, I'm Dr. Cindy Haines, host of HealthDay TV.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, violence is one of the leading causes of death for kids and young adults ages 10 to 24. Statistics also show that alcohol is a common factor in deaths among young people from car accidents, homicide, and injuries.
In today's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers followed 726 teenagers, ages 14 to 18, who visited an emergency department for treatment. All of them said that they'd consumed alcohol and acted aggressively in the past year. The teens either watched an interactive computer program about drinking and fighting, went through similar material with a therapist, or received a brochure.
The teens who went through the program on the computer also reported fewer problems associated with alcohol six months later.
IÕm Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV, with the news that doctors are reading; health news that matters to you.
