scholarly journals Environmental Health-Related Policies and Practices of Oklahoma Licensed Early Care and Education Programs: Implications for Childhood Asthma

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (16) ◽  
pp. 8491
Author(s):  
Cassandra D. Querdibitty ◽  
Bethany Williams ◽  
Marianna S. Wetherill ◽  
Susan B. Sisson ◽  
Janis Campbell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Health ◽  
Asthma Control ◽  
Childhood Asthma ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
Early Care And Education ◽  
Early Care ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Asthma Triggers ◽  
Policies And Practices

Little is known about the environmental health-related policies and practices of early care and education (ECE) programs that contribute to childhood asthma, particularly in Oklahoma where child asthma rates (9.8%) and rates of uncontrolled asthma among children with asthma (60.0%) surpass national rates (8.1% and 50.3%, respectively). We conducted a cross-sectional survey with directors of Oklahoma-licensed ECE programs to assess policies and practices related to asthma control and to evaluate potential differences between Centers and Family Childcare Homes (FCCHs). Surveyed ECEs (n = 476) included Centers (56.7%), FCCHs (40.6%), and other program types (2.7%). Almost half (47.2%) of directors reported never receiving any asthma training. More Center directors were asthma-trained than FCCH directors (61.0% versus 42.0%, p < 0.0001). Most ECEs used asthma triggers, including bleach (88.5%) and air fresheners (73.6%). Centers were more likely to use bleach daily than were FCCHs (75.6% versus 66.8%, p = 0.04). FCCHs used air fresheners more than did Centers (79.0% versus 61.0%, p < 0.0001). The majority of ECEs (74.8%) used pesticides indoors. Centers applied indoor pesticides more frequently (i.e., monthly or more often) than did FCCHs (86.0% versus 58.0%, p < 0.0001). Policy, educational, and technical assistance interventions are needed to reduce asthma triggers and improve asthma control in Oklahoma ECEs.

scholarly journals Improving Nutrition and Physical Activity Policies and Practices in Early Care and Education in Three States, 2014–2016

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa M. Smith ◽  
Casey Blaser ◽  
Cristy Geno-Rasmussen ◽  
Julie Shuell ◽  
Catherine Plumlee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Early Care And Education ◽  
Early Care ◽  
Nutrition And Physical Activity ◽  
Policies And Practices

scholarly journals Screen-Time Policies and Practices in Early Care and Education Centers in Relationship to Child Physical Activity

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 341-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda E. Staiano ◽  
Elizabeth Kipling Webster ◽  
Andrew T. Allen ◽  
Amber R. Jarrell ◽  
Corby K. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Early Care And Education ◽  
Early Care ◽  
Child Physical Activity ◽  
Policies And Practices

scholarly journals Increasing Capacity for Farm to Early Care and Education in Maryland and Washington: Study Protocol

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 267-267
Author(s):  
Caroline Rains ◽  
Alyssa Auvinen ◽  
Lacy Stephens ◽  
Sara Benjamin-Neelon
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Early Care And Education ◽  
Early Care ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Train The Trainer ◽  
Individual Site

Abstract Objectives Farm to early care and education (farm to ECE) incorporates local food purchasing; on-site gardens; and food, nutrition, and agriculture education into ECE settings to advance child health and well-being, engage families and communities, and enhance ECE quality. This project aims to advance capacity for farm to ECE training and implementation in Maryland and Washington by (1) measuring uptake and sustainability of farm to ECE activities at two demonstration sites; and (2) testing the feasibility of a train-the-trainer model, which includes training professionals who offer technical assistance to ECE providers to incorporate farm to ECE into existing training models. Methods For this demonstration study, researchers will work in partnership with each site to determine interests, needs, and capacity and develop a plan for integrating farm to ECE activities. Evaluation will consist of process and outcome components, including: (1) Semi-structured interviews with site administrators and educators to determine site needs and priorities (pre), progress and on-going needs (mid) and feedback on process, challenges, successes, and program sustainability (post); and (2) pre and post implementation assessment of ECE program quality (e.g., child nutrition, family engagement, learning environment). For the train-the-trainer model, researchers will utilize pre, post, and follow up surveys to assess changes in knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy regarding delivery and implementation of farm to ECE activities and participant uptake and implementation of training content. Results N/A. Conclusions Farm to ECE has the potential to promote healthier ECE environments and healthier community food systems. This project aims to examine impacts of expanding farm to ECE through state training and individual site level activities, with the goal of identifying best practices to support expansion of sustained and comprehensive farm to ECE initiatives. Funding Sources Bloomberg American Health Initiative Collaboration Awards; Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

scholarly journals Effectiveness in adapting the implementation of the Early Care and Education Learning Collaboratives Project (ECELC) using real-world conditions

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa M Garvin ◽  
Alethea Chiappone ◽  
Lisa Weissenburger-Moser Boyd ◽  
Julie Shuell ◽  
Catherine Plumlee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
Action Planning ◽  
Early Care And Education ◽  
Early Care ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Learning Collaboratives

Abstract The National Early Care and Education Learning Collaboratives Project (ECELC) was a multistate intervention that was highly effective in implementing best practices for healthy eating physical activity (HEPA) in early care and education (ECE) programs across the USA. The ECELC included didactic in-person learning sessions, technical assistance, and self-assessment-guided action planning. This study aimed to describe the effectiveness of adaptions to the self-assessments, learning sessions, and overall support, and also aimed to compare the effectiveness of each to the Original ECELC Model, when applicable. This study utilized a pre-poststudy design using data collected via the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) instrument for ECE programs that adapted the Original ECELC Model. Adaptations to the Original ECELC Model were found to promote best practices and policies with regard to Breastfeeding & Infant Feeding, Child Nutrition, Infant & Child Physical Activity, Outdoor Play & Learning, and/or Screen Time as demonstrated by the NAP SACC (p < .05), with some exceptions of nonstatistically significant increases. Improvements were found to be statistically similar to improvements made among participants of the Original ECELC Model. Partner-driven, scalable, and customizable policy- and practice-based interventions to promote HEPA among children in ECE settings may serve as a key strategy to work toward reducing risk for childhood obesity.

scholarly journals Connecting Families to Food Resources amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Early Care and Education Providers in Two U.S. States

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 3137
Author(s):  
Lacy Stephens ◽  
Caroline Rains ◽  
Sara E. Benjamin-Neelon
Keyword(s):  
Food Resources ◽  
Early Care And Education ◽  
Federally Funded ◽  
Early Care ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Adult Care ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Poisson Models ◽  
Food And Nutrition

Early care and education (ECE) settings are important avenues for reaching young children and their families with food and nutrition resources, including through the U.S. federally funded Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Researchers conducted a cross-sectional survey of ECE providers in two U.S. states in November 2020 to identify approaches used to connect families with food and nutrition resources amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds of sites reporting no approaches and adjusted Poisson models were used to estimate the incidence rate ratio of the mean number of approaches, comparing sites that participate in CACFP to those that did not. A total of 589 ECE sites provided responses. Of those, 43% (n = 255) participated in CACFP. CACFP participating sites were more likely to report using any approaches to connecting families to food resources and significantly more likely to report offering “grab and go” meals, providing meal delivery, distributing food boxes to families, and recommending community food resources than non-CACFP sites. This study suggests that CACFP sites may have greater capacity to connect families to food resources amid emergencies than non-CACFP participating sites.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document