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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Monica L. Baskin, PhD¹, Vera Egorshin, MD, FAAP², Lee Ann Beisher, MD, FAAP², Qshequilla Mitchell, MA³, Courtney Worley, BA¹, Jeanine Maclin, MD⁴, and Jermaine Mitchell, MAEd¹. (1) Health Behavior, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1530 3rd Ave S, RPHB 227, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, 205-975-5704, mbaskin@uab.edu, (2) Chris McNair Health Center, 1308 Tuscaloosa Ave SW, Birmingham, AL 35211, (3) Health Care Organization and Policy, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1530 3rd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, (4) Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1600 7th Ave S, ACC 618, Birmingham, AL 35233

Primary care providers regularly see children and have the tools to monitor and track obesity-related risk factors (e.g., weight, diet, physical activity). An estimated 4.7 million children receive services through community health centers (CHCs). Unfortunately, these children are at a greater risk of being overweight even when race, ethnicity, and geographic location (urban vs. rural) are accounted for. Obesity prevalence rates for children age 2-11 years receiving care at CHCs range from 22-24% compared to national prevalence of 10-16% for this same age range. Despite the need, there have been relatively few primary-care based interventions for pediatric overweight. Our study is implementing and evaluating an innovative multidisciplinary intervention for 3-6 year olds with BMI > 85th percentile. Parents of eligible patients who agree to participate are randomly assigned to the obesity intervention program or a wait-list control condition. The nutrition and physical activity health promotion program includes monthly contact by each parent-child with their primary care physician and the center dietician, bi-weekly group meetings with children and parents facilitated by the center dietician and a health educator, and periodic home visits by the center social worker. A total of 204 children (30%) are eligible to participate based on age and BMI. Process measures are collected to document program fidelity, barriers and facilitators to implementation, and feedback from providers, staff, and patients/parents concerning program components. Outcome measures include patient/parent motivation to change health behaviors related to diet and physical activity, treatment adherence, attendance at scheduled appointments, and BMI.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe childhood obesity-related health disparities among patients at community health centers.
• Identify four barriers to the development and implementation of provider-based obesity interventions in community health centers.
• Describe an innovative model for intervening with overweight and obese pediatric patients in a community health center setting.

Keywords: Obesity, Community Health Centers

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation