The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #43511

Diane Hart, New York Department of Health, 809 Mill Bend Drive, Lawrenceville, GA 30044, 770-978-2289, aerobic2@aol.com

The New York Health Department has been implementing the Commissioner’s Challenge to state employees since 1997. The Challenge was adapted from the CDC’s Director’s Physical Activity Challenge. New York also participated in the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity’s pilot study of the adaption of CDC’s Challenge: March into May. Though the essential Challenge intervention components of goal setting, teams and incentives have been maintained over the last five years, the intervention design for employees has evolved to include the promotion of additional behaviors: consumption of fruits and vegetables; and water drinking; and extending the length from 10 weeks to 30 weeks. In 1999 New York received a comprehensive cardiovascular health grant from the CDC. One of the elements of the NY grant was to change work site health policy by diffusing standard evidence based intervention. NY adopted the design of the CDC Challenge and created Move for Life MFL. Thirty-six out of 60 New York counties have had work sites implement MFL and the state’s heart health coalitions have distributed more than 7000 implementation packets. New York has included promotion of MFL on their website – nysphysicalactivity.org which allows the downloading of implementation and evaluation materials.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the theoretical components that have contributed to the diffusion of the "challenge".
• Identify how the Challenge design was modified to accommodate the needs and interests of employees.
• Identify the different roles that collaborative partners play in the diffusion of a state wide intervention

Keywords: Worksite, Physical Activity

Related Web page: nysphysicalactivity.org

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.