The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #56225

Julie Gast, PhD, Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, Utah State University, 7000 Old Main Hill, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-7000, 435-797-1490, julieg@cc.usu.edu, Monica Lounsbery, PhD, Department of Sports Education & Leadership, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154, and Jason J. Leiker, MS, Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Anthropology, Utah State University, 0730 University Blvd., Logan, UT 84322-0730.

Planned Approach To Healthier Schools (PATHS) was a year long educational experience that was integrated into select classes within the normal curriculum of two secondary schools in rural Utah. It was specifically designed to provide students with the opportunity to apply academic skills in a variety of ways, however in the focused manner to develop health interventions that target physical activity and nutrition change within their school. The PATHS model is a school-based modification of the CDC’s Planned Approach to Community Health (PATCH) planning model. In PATHS the target population was the school community and was inclusive of the entire student body, faculty, administration and staff. Teachers, health professionals, and university faculty and student interns collaborated to educate and empower adolescent aged students to solve their own school’s health problems and particularly, as it relates to physical activity, nutrition, and obesity. Students were change agents and health educators for their school. Social learning theory was the conceptual framework from which PATHS was developed and implemented. The effects of PATHS on student physical activity beliefs, physical activity behavior, and nutrition behavior of high school and junior high school students within the experimental schools were examined using a three-way mixed factorial ANOVA (pretest/posttest design) (n=771). Two comparison schools of similar demographic characteristics were given the posttest survey only (n=551). Differences were found between gender and school for some measures. Qualitative evaluation was conducted using anecdotal records and focus groups with the PATHS schools. Detailed discussion of results will be presented.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to:
• Identify strategies for public health professionals to have a sustained presence in public schools replicating the PATHS program
• Identify how PATCH can be effectively used as the basis of a school based health promotion program
• List how Social Cognitive Theory can be applied to plan and implement a physical activity and nutrition program in a school based program

Keywords: Physical Activity, Nutrition

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.