Development and Pilot Test of a Traction Alopecia Prevention Curriculum on Knowledge, Concern, and Hair Care Practices in Middle School Students

The study developed and tested a traction alopecia (TA) prevention curriculum for middle school students, focusing on increasing awareness and promoting healthy hair care practices to reduce TA incidence, particularly in communities where high-risk hairstyles are common. Implemented in an urban middle school with 73 participants, the program showed that while awareness and understanding of TA significantly increased—from 11.4% to 74.3%—only 34.3% of students were likely to change their hairstyling habits. This indicates that while the program effectively raised awareness, translating this into behavioral change remains challenging. Future interventions should incorporate culturally sensitive strategies to better influence hairstyle choices and reduce TA prevalence in at-risk communities.