Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #104332

Michelle B. Justus, MS¹, Jennifer L. Shaw, MAP, MPH¹, Rhonda C. Sanders, BA², Kevin W. Ryan, JD, MA¹, and Joseph W. Thompson, MD, MPH¹. (1) Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 5800 West 10th Street, Suite 410, Little Rock, AR 72204, 501-660-7561, justusmichelleb@uams.edu, (2) College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham, # 820, Little Rock, AR 72205

BACKGROUND: The Arkansas General Assembly passed legislation in 2003 to combat childhood obesity. Act 1220 requires public schools to improve nutrition standards, increase student physical activity, conduct annual body mass index-for-age (BMI) assessments for all 440,000 students and confidentially report results to parents. OBJECTIVE: To create an individualized Child Health Report (CHR) to be delivered to parents in a confidential manner. METHODS: We developed preliminary CHRs that were evaluated by parents in three different schools districts (n=35). Parents provided feedback on format and content of the CHRs. Using parental feedback, five different CHRs were created (underweight, normal, at risk for overweight, overweight, and unable to assess). A process was developed for conveyance of the CHRs to parents. RESULTS: Approximately 346,000 CHRs were mailed directly to parents. Of 115 comments received from parents through our website and BMI hotline, none were related to concerns about confidentiality. However, thirty-four parents reported that their child's BMI was incorrect and four sources of error (age rounding, inaccurate demographic data, data entry or measurement error) were determined. Parents were advised how to obtain a correct BMI on their child. Anecdotal evidence suggested confidentiality was only problematic when children opened CHRs addressed to parents. CONCLUSIONS: Based on Arkansas's experience, BMI can be reported to parents confidentially. Studies have shown that large portions of parents do not recognize that their children are overweight, so reporting BMI can provide valuable health information to parents. BMI can potentially be combined with other school-based screenings to provide a comprehensive CHR.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participants will be able to

• Recognize the importance of sending BMIs to the parents of children
• Develop an individualized child health report
• Generate and distribute child health reports to parents in a confidential manner

Keywords: Obesity, School-Based Health Care

Related Web page: www.achi.net/current_initiatives/obesity.asp

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation