scholarly journals Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Policy, Systems, and Environmental Strategies: A Content Analysis of Community Health Improvement Plans

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meera Sreedhara ◽  
Melissa Goulding ◽  
Karin Valentine Goins ◽  
Christine Frisard ◽  
Stephenie C. Lemon
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Health Improvement ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Latent Class Analyses ◽  
Policy Systems ◽  
Community Health Improvement

Background: Policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) approaches can sustainably improve healthy eating (HE) and physical activity (PA) but are challenging to implement. Community health improvement plans (CHIPs) represent a strategic opportunity to advance PSEs but have not been adequately researched. The objective of this study was to describe types of HE and PA strategies included in CHIPs and assess strategies designed to facilitate successful PSE-change using an established framework that identifies six key activities to catalyze change.Methods: A content analysis was conducted of 75 CHIP documents containing HE and/or PA PSE strategies, which represented communities that were identified from responses to a national probability sample of US local health departments (<500,000 residents). Each HE/PA PSE strategy was assessed for alignment with six key activities that facilitate PSE-change (identifying and framing the problem, engaging and educating key people, identifying PSE solutions, utilizing available evidence, assessing social and political environment, and building support and political will). Multilevel latent class analyses were conducted to identify classes of CHIPs based on HE/PA PSE strategy alignment with key activities. Analyses were conducted separately for CHIPs containing HE and PA PSE strategies.Results: Two classes of CHIPs with PSE strategies emerged from the HE (n = 40 CHIPs) and PA (n = 43 CHIPs) multilevel latent class analyses. More CHIPs were grouped in Class A (HE: 75%; PA: 79%), which were characterized by PSE strategies that simply identified a PSE solution. Fewer CHIPs were grouped in Class B (HE: 25%; PA: 21%), and these mostly included PSE strategies that comprehensively addressed multiple key activities for PSE-change.Conclusions: Few CHIPs containing PSE strategies addressed multiple key activities for PSE-change. Efforts to enhance collaborations with important decision-makers and community capacity to engage in a range of key activities are warranted.

scholarly journals Stepping Up Active Transportation in Community Health Improvement Plans: Findings From a National Probability Survey of Local Health Departments

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. 772-779 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meera Sreedhara ◽  
Karin Valentine Goins ◽  
Christine Frisard ◽  
Milagros C. Rosal ◽  
Stephenie C. Lemon
Keyword(s):  
Community Health ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Active Transportation ◽  
Health Improvement ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Health Departments ◽  
Local Health Departments ◽  
Community Health Assessment ◽  
National Accreditation ◽  
Community Health Improvement

Background: Local health departments (LHDs) are increasingly involved in Community Health Improvement Plans (CHIPs), a collaborative planning process that represents an opportunity for prioritizing physical activity. We determined the proportion of LHDs reporting active transportation strategies in CHIPs and associations between LHD characteristics and such strategies. Methods: A national probability survey of US LHDs (<500,000 residents; 30.2% response rate) was conducted in 2017 (n = 162). LHDs reported the inclusion of 8 active transportation strategies in a CHIP. We calculated the proportion of LHDs reporting each strategy. Multivariate logistic regression models determined the associations between LHD characteristics and inclusion of strategies in a CHIP. Inverse probability weights were applied for each stratum. Results: 45.6% of US LHDs reported participating in a CHIP with ≥1 active transportation strategy. Proportions for specific strategies ranged from 22.3% (Safe Routes to School) to 4.1% (Transit-Oriented Development). Achieving national accreditation (odds ratio [OR] = 3.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11–12.05), pursuing accreditation (OR = 3.40; 95% CI, 1.25–9.22), using credible resources (OR = 5.25; 95% CI, 1.77–15.56), and collaborating on a Community Health Assessment (OR = 4.48; 95% CI, 1.23–16.29) were associated with including a strategy in a CHIP after adjusting for covariates. Conclusions: CHIPs are untapped tools, but national accreditation, using credible resources, and Community Health Assessment collaboration may support strategic planning efforts to improve physical activity.

scholarly journals Healthy Eating Policy Strategies in Community Health Improvement Plans

2019 ◽  
Vol Publish Ahead of Print ◽  
Author(s):  
Meera Sreedhara ◽  
Karin Valentine Goins ◽  
Christine Frisard ◽  
Milagros C. Rosal ◽  
Stephenie C. Lemon
Keyword(s):  
Community Health ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Health Improvement ◽  
Policy Strategies ◽  
Community Health Improvement

Community Health Improvement Plans

2021 ◽  
Vol Publish Ahead of Print ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie D. Carroll ◽  
Marianna S. Wetherill ◽  
Thomas A. Teasdale ◽  
Alicia L. Salvatore
Keyword(s):  
Community Health ◽  
Health Improvement ◽  
Community Health Improvement

Priorities for Investing in Community Health Improvement

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 322-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael D. Rozier ◽  
Simone R. Singh ◽  
Peter D. Jacobson ◽  
Lisa A. Prosser
Keyword(s):  
Community Health ◽  
Health Improvement ◽  
Community Health Improvement

scholarly journals Healthy eating and physical activity environments in out-of-school hours care: an observational study protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. e036397
Author(s):  
Ruth Crowe ◽  
Yasmine Probst ◽  
Jennifer Norman ◽  
Susan Furber ◽  
Lisa Franco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Contextual Information ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Out Of School

IntroductionChildcare settings have been widely identified as important venues for promoting healthy lifestyles to children. Out-of-school hours care (OSHC) is a rapidly growing childcare service, yet there has been limited research reported on healthy eating and physical activity (HEPA) environments within the Australian OSHC setting. This research aims to describe the HEPA environments related to foods and beverages served, staff behaviours and child physical activity levels across two local health districts within New South Wales, Australia. This study will provide evidence to support future interventions and policies in Australian OSHC settings.Methods and analysisA cross-sectional study design will be used to describe the food and beverages provided and child activity levels, and report on environmental correlates. OSHC programmes will be visited on non-consecutive weekdays between 2018 and 2020. The frequency of foods and beverages offered will be observed and categorised into food groups aligned to the Australian Dietary Guidelines. Children’s physical activity will be measured using ActiGraph wGT3X-BT accelerometers. Staff behaviour will be captured via direct observation and the System for Observing Staff Promotion of Activity and Nutrition. Short interviews with programme directors will gather contextual information about OSHC practices and policies.Ethics and disseminationFindings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed scientific journals, conference presentations and individualised feedback to each participating service. Ethical approval was granted by the University of Wollongong Human Research Ethics Committee (HE17/490).

scholarly journals Web-Based Dissemination of a Civic Engagement Curriculum to Promote Healthy Eating and Active Living in Rural Towns: The eHEART Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 2571
Author(s):  
Rebecca Seguin-Fowler ◽  
Meredith Graham ◽  
Urshila Sriram ◽  
Galen Eldridge ◽  
Jimin Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Active Living ◽  
Health Educators ◽  
Rural Environments ◽  
Engagement Interventions ◽  
Physical Activity Environments

Civic engagement interventions aimed at improving food and physical activity environments hold promise in addressing rural health disparities, but ensuring feasible and sustained dissemination remains a challenge. The present study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a civic engagement curriculum adapted for online dissemination (Healthy Eating and Activity in Rural Towns (eHEART)). The eHEART curriculum and website were developed based on feedback from local health educators and community members. eHEART groups were facilitated by local Extension educators across three rural towns in three U.S. states (Montana, Wisconsin, and Alaska). Implementation feasibility was assessed through monthly project reports and interviews with educators. All eHEART groups successfully completed curriculum activities and met their project goals after nine months (November 2018 to July 2019). Groups ranged in size from 4 to 8 community residents and implemented varied strategies to improve aspects of their local food and/or physical activity environments. Facilitators of implementation included clear guidance on facilitating curriculum activities and the flexible and community-driven nature of eHEART projects. Recommended changes included more guidance on evaluating projects and contacting stakeholders as well as providing online tools and support for project management. Findings from this work have important implications for creating healthier rural environments. Local health educators and other community groups can feasibly use the eHEART curriculum to foster environmental changes that support healthy eating and active living.

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