Supporting policy change to improve health in Louisiana: The role of research and education in advocacy

Louisiana ranks as one of the lowest states in the nation on a variety of health-related indicators, such as obesity and smoking rates. These can be addressed through state-level policies and programs that promote healthy behaviors and build healthy environments.  Adoption of these policies often requires advocacy.

Prior to the 2014 Louisiana legislative session, the Prevention Research Center (PRC) at Tulane University assessed Louisiana’s most prominent public health challenges through a policy gap analysis, key informant interviews, and a literature review of best-practices from other U.S. states. This analysis resulted in a set of promising strategies that could improve health outcomes at the state level, including those targeted at the prenatal and school-age populations, as well as community-wide interventions. Worksite lactation support, smoke-free school zones, and state-level obesity coordination approaches were among the identified strategies.

The PRC educated policy makers about the potential health impact of this set of strategies through formal presentations and testimonies at the state capitol, a series of research briefs, and social media activities targeting the general public. The Chair of the Louisiana Senate Committee on Health and Welfare consulted the results of the PRC’s public health analysis to compose 10 pieces of legislation for the 2014 Louisiana legislative session. Nine of the bills or resolutions addressing public health at the state-level passed successfully. Advocacy through research and education can bridge the gap between public health practitioners and policy makers to bring about legislation that positively affects environments in which we work, live, learn and play.