Promoting Small Business Support of Youth Physical Activity in Low-income, Minority Neighborhoods

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Small Business ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Business Support ◽  
Youth Physical Activity

scholarly journals Promoting small business support of youth physical activity in low-income, minority neighborhoods (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Suminski ◽  
Shannon Robson ◽  
Eric Plautz
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Small Business ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Primary Outcome ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Business Support ◽  
Youth Physical Activity

BACKGROUND An unacceptably high percentage of our nation’s low-income, minority youth (< 18 years of age) are not regularly physically active. This contributes to extreme health disparities such as obesity rates nearly two-fold higher than those seen in white youth and greater risk for diabetes and related cardiometabolic disorders. The presence of quality youth physical activity opportunities (YPAO) enables and encourages physically active lifestyles. Unfortunately, quality YPAOs often are lacking in places where minority youth live, resulting in low activity levels and subsequent health issues that represent significant disparities in our society. Our previous research found that small businesses (< 500 employees), which represent over 99% of all employers, are powerful resources for creating and improving YPAOs. In accordance with the Socioecological Model and established philanthropic principles, we developed an alpha version of an intervention (alpha-i) for increasing small businesses’ involvement with YPAOs. OBJECTIVE The objectives of the proposed study is to create a beta version (beta-i) of the intervention and conduct a pilot study of its impact on small business support for YPAOs and YPAO utilization by youth in low-income, minority neighborhoods. METHODS We will complete three aims to meet our study objectives. Aim 1: Refine alpha-i components by completing focus groups with small business owners, YPAO providers, and parents/guardians of youth from low-income, predominantly minority neighborhoods. Results of the qualitative analysis will inform final tailoring of the intervention to create the beta-i which will be tested in Aim 2. Aim 2: Determine the effect of the beta-i on small business support for YPAOs in low-income, minority neighborhoods by conducting a plot cluster randomized-control trial with randomization at the neighborhood level. Intervention neighborhoods (n=10) will receive the beta-i while control neighborhoods (n=10) will be provided a standard practice intervention for a period of one year. The primary outcome for aim 2 will be the percentage of small businesses not supporting YPAOs at baseline that subsequently provide support for YPAOs at follow-up. We also will consider the U.S. dollar equivalent of all types of support (monetary, goods/services and time) donated for YPAOs by small businesses. Aim 3: Examine the impact of the increased small business support for YPAOs on YPAO utilization by youth. The primary outcome will be the percent change in the number of youth participating in YPAOs from baseline and follow-up in the treatment and control neighborhoods. RESULTS Outcomes from this study are pending; however, preliminary studies we’ve conducted supporting the research protocol indicate that 62% of businesses not supporting community physical activity initiatives thought they should support such initiatives and that businesses supporting YPAOs did so to give back to the neighborhood, improve children's health, provide athletic experiences, and/or increase customers/revenue. In a six-month pilot study of a developmental approach to encourage small business support of physical activity in their neighborhood, we observed a 27% increase in the number of businesses supporting local physical activity programs. CONCLUSIONS The proposed study is significant because it will provide evidence that an easily replicated approach can be used to increase small business support for YPAOs and that this support results in greater use of the YPAOs by youth. Our next step will be to determine if YPAO changes resulting from increased small business support positively influence youth physical activity levels as measured by accelerometry. Our long-term goals are to create a nationally implementable practice for increasing support for YPAOs and strengthen the science of addressing health disparities in socially disadvantaged populations.

scholarly journals Promoting Small Business Support of Youth Physical Activity in Low-Income, Minority Neighborhoods: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

10.2196/13141 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. e13141
Author(s):  
Richard Robert Suminski Jr ◽  
Shannon Robson ◽  
Jennie Turner ◽  
Eric Plautz
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Small Business ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Business Support ◽  
Youth Physical Activity

Background An unacceptably high percentage of our nation’s low-income, minority youth (age<18 years) are not regularly physically active. One reason for this could be their lack of access to quality youth physical activity opportunities (YPAOs). Our previous research found that small businesses (<500 employees), which represent over 99.64% (27.9/28.0 million businesses in United States) of all employers, are powerful resources for creating and improving YPAOs. In accordance with the socioecological model and established philanthropic principles, we developed an alpha version of an intervention (alpha-i) for increasing small businesses’ involvement with YPAOs. Objective The aims of this proposed study are to (1) create a beta version (beta-i) of the intervention and (2) conduct a pilot study of its impact on small business support for YPAOs and YPAO utilization by the youth in low-income, minority neighborhoods. Methods The alpha-i will be refined using information from focus groups and surveys conducted with small business owners and managers, YPAO providers, and parents and guardians of the youths from low-income, predominantly minority neighborhoods. A cluster randomized controlled trial will then be conducted for 1 year to examine the effects of the refined intervention (beta-i) on small business support for YPAOs in 10 low-income, minority neighborhoods. The control group of neighborhoods (n=10) will be provided with a standard practice intervention. The primary outcome for aim 2 will be the percentage of small businesses not supporting YPAOs at baseline that subsequently provide support for YPAOs at follow-up. We also will consider the US dollar equivalent of all types of support (monetary, goods/services, and time) donated for YPAOs by small businesses. In addition, we will examine the impact of the increased small business support for YPAOs on YPAO utilization by the youth. Results As of May 1, 2019, all YPAOs and small businesses in the study neighborhoods have been identified, and surveys have begun with these groups. In addition, 9 focus groups were completed, and the data have been transcribed. We anticipate that manuscripts regarding these aspects of the study will be submitted in fall 2019. Conclusions The proposed study is significant because it will provide evidence that an easily replicated approach can be used to increase small business support for YPAOs and that this support results in greater use of the YPAOs by youth. A logical next step will be to determine if YPAO changes resulting from increased small business support positively influence youth physical activity levels. ClinicalTrial ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03936582; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03936582. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/13141

scholarly journals Between Privilege and Oppression: An Intersectional Analysis of Active Transportation Experiences Among Washington D.C. Area Youth

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. 1313
Author(s):  
Jennifer D. Roberts ◽  
Sandra Mandic ◽  
Craig S. Fryer ◽  
Micah L. Brachman ◽  
Rashawn Ray
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Ecological Model ◽  
Public Transit ◽  
Active Transportation ◽  
Youth Of Color ◽  
Social Variables ◽  
Youth Physical Activity ◽  
Improve Health

The use of active transportation (AT), such as walking, cycling, or even public transit, as a means of transport offers an opportunity to increase youth physical activity and improve health. Despite the well-known benefits of AT, there are environmental and social variables that converge on the AT experiences of low-income youth and youth of color (YOC) that have yet to be fully uncovered. This study uses an intersectional framework, largely focusing on the race-gender-class trinity, to examine youth AT within a context of transportation inequity. Theoretically guided by the Ecological Model of Active Transportation, focus groups were completed with two groups of girls (15 participants) and two groups of boys (nine participants) ranging between the ages of 12–15 years who lived within the Washington D.C. area. This research found race, gender, and class to be inhibitors of AT for both boys and girls, but with more pronounced negative influences on girls.

scholarly journals OP0007-PARE CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & EXERCISE TO RMD PATIENTS THROUGH EDUCATION AND PRACTICE

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 5.1-6
Author(s):  
A. Iacovou
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Life Style ◽  
National Health System ◽  
List Type ◽  
Exercise Rehabilitation ◽  
Eular Recommendations ◽  
National Strategic Plan ◽  
Sport Events ◽  
Further Development

Background:Eular give’ s a lot of attention to outline the need of a change in RMD patients life style that is very well outlined into the 2018 Eular recommendations for Physical Activity (PA).Objectives:Driven by those recommendations that says that “PA should be an integral part of standard care throughout the course of disease”, CypLAR decided to create a campaign to promote PA through educating RMD patients on the PA benefits, make them to change their life style and enroll them to PA programs. More over we want to inform Rheumatologist and HPR’s on that effort and enroll them to that campaign.The CypLAR’ s goal through that campaign is to manage and enroll as much as possible patients to PA Programs for a continual period of about 10 months.Methods:To achieve all the above we decided to move to the following steps:Offer PA Programs organized by CypLAR or HPR associatesIncrease awareness regarding the benefits of the PA (Land based & Aquatic) programs to Rheumatologists, HPR’s and RMD patientsIntegrate PA into National Health System and proceduresOffer incentivesResults:We managed to increase the PA programs that we used to offer from 1 to 3 in every major cities with also some more opportunities ahead. That also increases the number of participants attracting around 100 participants instead of 20 that we uses to before.Towards awareness, we presented Exercise rehabilitation in conferences around Europe (Agora 2017,2018,2019, Eular 2018, Cyprus – Crete Conference 2017, 2019, Enfa 2019, Pain Conference, Athens 2019) and also published related articles on CypLAR’s magazine that is published twice a year that is distributed to more than 5000 members.We managed to include the Aquatic Exercise Rehabilitation to the new National Strategic plan for Rheumatic Diseases.As incentives, we created a fund that is addressed to partially support low income patients. Furthermore we acquire special discount membership fees to our members on PA programs that are offered by associates.We organize our own sport related fund events and also participate in others sport funding events. Especially the Charity Swimming Event “Swim for my fellow” which is co-organized by the Iacovou Swimming Centre and Cyplar for the last 5 years is also under the Limassol Municipality Annual Sport Events called “Lemesia” which this year will have an International promotion due Limassol’s Award as the “European City of Sports” for 2020.We are in the process and in contact with big companies in order to become our campaign SponsorsWe attracted a fund of €2000 from Cyprus Sport Organization that offered a partial financial support to 30 patients for their participation in PA programs for 3 months.Conclusion:We all believe that the success on that campaign is based on Education (articles, presentations), the available options (programs/positions to participate) and Incentives (financial) that all of them needs further development.Disclosure of Interests:None declared

scholarly journals A positive deviance-based qualitative study of stress, coping, and feeding practices among low-income, Hispanic mothers whose children do versus do not meet guidelines for fruit and vegetable intake

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 584-604
Author(s):  
Eleanor Shonkoff ◽  
Sara C Folta ◽  
Theodore Fitopoulos ◽  
Cynthia N Ramirez ◽  
Ricky Bluthenthal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Comparison Group ◽  
Vegetable Intake ◽  
Feeding Practices ◽  
The United States ◽  
Positive Deviance ◽  
Healthy Weight ◽  
Hispanic Mothers

Abstract Less than 1% of children in the United States concurrently meet guidelines for fruit/vegetable intake, physical activity, screen time, and sugar-sweetened beverages. Prior evidence suggests that parents of this 1% potentially cope with stress differently. This qualitative study used a positive deviance-based approach to locate mothers whose children avoided negative feeding outcomes despite being ‘high-risk’ for obesity. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in Spanish for two groups: low-income, Hispanic mothers whose children were normal weight and met recommendations for fruits/vegetables and physical activity (n = 5); and a comparison group whose children had obesity and did not meet guidelines (n = 8). Topics included weight-related parenting practices, attitudes toward health, and stress management. Interviews were transcribed, translated, and coded using NVivo for theoretically driven thematic analysis. Results suggested that mothers viewed stress differently. Mothers of healthy weight children believed stress could be prevented, such as by paying children more attention or directing one’s attention away from stressors; comparison group mothers tended to report stress about managing their child’s eating and about financial worries. Future research is needed to understand the underlying sources of these differences (e.g. personality traits, coping practices) and test whether stress prevention interventions can promote healthy parental feeding practices.

scholarly journals Feelings of safety during daytime walking: associations with mental health, physical activity and cardiometabolic health in high vacancy, low-income neighborhoods in Detroit, Michigan

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amber L. Pearson ◽  
Kimberly A. Clevenger ◽  
Teresa H. Horton ◽  
Joseph C. Gardiner ◽  
Ventra Asana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Vigorous Physical Activity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cardiometabolic Health ◽  
Multilevel Regression ◽  
Critical Pathway ◽  
Perceived Safety

Abstract Introduction Individuals living in low-income neighborhoods have disproportionately high rates of obesity, Type-2 diabetes, and cardiometabolic conditions. Perceived safety in one’s neighborhood may influence stress and physical activity, with cascading effects on cardiometabolic health. Methods In this study, we examined relationships among feelings of safety while walking during the day and mental health [perceived stress (PSS), depression score], moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (PA), Body Mass Index (BMI), and hemoglobin A1C (A1C) in low-income, high-vacancy neighborhoods in Detroit, Michigan. We recruited 69 adults who wore accelerometers for one week and completed a survey on demographics, mental health, and neighborhood perceptions. Anthropometrics were collected and A1C was measured using A1CNow test strips. We compiled spatial data on vacant buildings and lots across the city. We fitted conventional and multilevel regression models to predict each outcome, using perceived safety during daytime walking as the independent variable of interest and individual or both individual and neighborhood-level covariates (e.g., number of vacant lots). Last, we examined trends in neighborhood features according to perceived safety. Results In this predominantly African American sample (91%), 47% felt unsafe during daytime walking. Feelings of perceived safety significantly predicted PSS (β = − 2.34, p = 0.017), depression scores (β = − 4.22, p = 0.006), and BMI (β = − 2.87, p = 0.01), after full adjustment. For PA, we detected a significant association for sex only. For A1C we detected significant associations with blighted lots near the home. Those feeling unsafe lived in neighborhoods with higher park area and number of blighted lots. Conclusion Future research is needed to assess a critical pathway through which neighborhood features, including vacant or poor-quality green spaces, may affect obesity—via stress reduction and concomitant effects on cardiometabolic health.

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