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

Abstract #117678

M. Prehm, PhD¹, S. Stuart, MPH², F. Buck, MSW³, A. Fourney, DrPH³, and B. MkNelly, MS³. (1) Prehm and Associates, 5820 Fair Oaks Blvd. #138, Carmichael, CA 95608, 916-973-9567, prehmassoc@sbcglobal.net, (2) Prehm & Associates, 204 Dickens Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, (3) Cancer Prevention and Nutrition Section, California Department of Health Services, 1616 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95899

BACKGROUND: Five community food assessment project case studies were developed as part of a statewide community food assessment evaluation by the California Nutrition Network. METHODS: Projects collecting data with technical assistance from the statewide Community Food Assessment Program (CFAP) of the Community Food Security Coalition participated in in-depth interviews and reviewed case study drafts along with CFAP. Community food assessment methods used by sites included: grocery store surveys, focus groups, participant and service provider interviews and surveys, food resource mapping, merchant interviews, and participatory appraisals. Most projects had extensive local participation with one done by homeless people, one done by trained resident interviewers, and one done using community listening methods in each step. All had active coalitions. RESULTS: The important lessons learned by community-based organizations doing their first assessments were to 1) keep the design and methods simple, 2) use the assessment as a tool for community organizing for the assessment as well as for program and policy advocacy, and 3) design the assessment with residents and with the decision-makers it was designed to influence. CONCLUSIONS: Assessments showed the need for programs and policies such as: gardens and retail or other sources of fresh produce and other healthy foods, more awareness of food assistance eligibility and benefits, and more education on healthy eating. The ability of local organizations to maintain active coalitions for food assessments and advocacy reinforces their importance as agents of long-term food systems change.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will be able to 1)describe different food assessment methods, 2)describe the lessons learned by the case study projects, 3)describe the implications of the projects for programs and policy development

Keywords: Community Assets, Community Research

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.