 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Siobhan C. Maty, PhD, MPH1, Lucille Webb, MEd2, Janice M. Dodds, EdD, RD3, Guadalupe X. Ayala, PhD, MPH1, Kacey Hanson, MPH4, and Wyokemia Joyner5. (1) Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina School of Public Health, 319-C Rosenau Hall, CB #7440, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7440, 919/966.8650, maty@email.unc.edu, (2) Strengthening the Black Family, Inc., Box 28716, 568 East Lenoir Street, Raleigh, NC 27611, (3) Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 4101 McGavran Greenberg Building, CB#7400, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, (4) Department of Maternal and Child Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB # 7445, Chapel Hill, NC 27559, (5) Department of African and Afro-American Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #3395, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
This presentation describes the process of building a partnership between community residents, an academic center, a community-based minority health and social service organization, and a community-based CDC diabetes prevention program, that developed in response to community members’ interest in improving the health of families in an urban African American community.
The goal of the partnership was to conduct a community-based participatory research project to identify factors in the social and physical environment that influence the eating and physical activity behaviors of adolescents and their parents/guardians. The research questions arose from the community and community member participation was incorporated throughout protocol development and implementation. We used focus groups and a mapping methodology to gather data from 40-50 adolescents and their parents/guardians over a six-month period. Identified themes were presented to study participants for discussion, clarification and validation of findings and interpretation. Youth and adult participants convened a community forum to disseminate results. Adolescent participants also met with several youth groups at schools, churches and in the community to share their knowledge about healthy eating and exercise, and the barriers and facilitators to positive healthy behaviors identified within their schools, homes and neighborhoods.
The information obtained from this participatory research project will also be used to design and implement programs to increase physical activity, improve dietary habits and prevent obesity and Type 2 diabetes in this community, as well as advocate for neighborhood and city-wide environmental policy changes.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Community-Based Public Health, Environment
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.