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

Abstract #71364

Tracey Lewis-Elligan, PhD¹, Edith C. Kieffer, PhD², April From, BS², Kelly Baber³, Maria Harris⁴, Zachary Rowe, BS⁵, Antonia Villarruel, PhD⁶, Wendy J Carman, PhD⁷, Marilyn Lugo⁸, Kelly Trice⁹, Deloris Farris¹⁰, and Gloria Weatherby⁵. (1) Department of Sociology, DePaul University, 990 Fullerton Avenue, Chicago, IL 60614, (2) Health Behavior & Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Room 5126, 1420 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, (3) Kettering/Butzel Health Initiative, 7737 Kercheval, Detroit, MI 48214, (4) Latino Family Services, 3815 W. Fort, Detroit, MI 48216, (5) Friends of Parkside, P.O. Box 13168, Detroit, MI 48213, (6) School of Nursing, University of Michigan, 400 N. Ingalls, Suite 3160, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, (7) Health Behavior and Health Education, Univeristy of Michigan, 1420 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, (8) CHASS, 5635 W. Fort, Detroit, MI 48209, (9) Harper Gratiot Multi Service Center, Healthy Start East, 9641 Harper, Detroit, MI 48213, (10) Detroit Health Department, 1151 Taylor, Detroit, MI 48202

Diet and exercise behaviors, excessive pregnancy weight gain and postpartum weight retention may lead to obesity and increased risk for type 2 diabetes among African American and Latino women. A community participatory planning process led to development of Promoting Healthy Lifestyles Among Women, a community-based participatory intervention that aims to increase healthy eating, physical activity and appropriate weight gain among African American and Latino women. This presentation describes the process evaluation of the pilot intervention project, which was conducted with community organization partners in eastside and southwest Detroit between September 2002 and March 2003. Key leaders from the two communities identified specific locations, times and components for the project. Pregnant African American and Latino women were recruited from WIC and prenatal clinics to participate in 12 alternating healthy lifestyle and walking group meetings during pregnancy, followed by two postpartum home visits. Trained group facilitators from community organizations led the intervention. All materials were developed in English and Spanish. Throughout the intervention, an iterative process was used to obtain participant and leader feedback. Evaluation strategies included participant observations, facilitator and participant session feedback forms, focus groups with participants and facilitators following each intervention phase and meetings with community organization hosts to identify factors that facilitated and impeded project implementation including program setting, recruitment strategies, and curriculum development. The evaluation was used for further development of the 4-year full intervention, including culturally tailored curriculum, logistic arrangements and improved intervention outcome measures.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this session, participants will:
• Identify aspects of project planning and implementation that contribute to an effective intervention. 2.Describe the benefits of community-based participatory research in process evaluation. 3.Discuss key findings from the process evaluation.

Keywords: Nutrition, Community-Based Partnership

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.