The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #66916

Siobhan C. Maty, PhD, MPH and Guadalupe X. Ayala, PhD, MPH. Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina School of Public Health, 319-C Rosenau Hall, CB #7440, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7440, 919/966.8650, maty@email.unc.edu

Poor dietary behaviors and a sedentary lifestyle are important risk factors for a number of health outcomes including excessive weight gain, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Innovative methods derived from medical geography have established an association between the physical environment, diet, and physical activity. Many studies have used GIS to describe the environment-person relationship. For example, the presence of unpaved sidewalks, poor street lighting, multiple fast-food restaurants and targeted billboards, has been associated with physical inactivity and poor health outcomes in several communities. Less is known about how environmental factors (social and structural) influence the willingness and ability of community residents to engage in healthy lifestyle behaviors. Nor have community residents been involved in identifying the factors that contribute to their environment-person relationships. This study describes the process of engaging African-American and immigrant Latino families in designing and implementing a manual mapping technique to identify the environmental barriers and facilitators of dietary behaviors and physical activity within their communities. Focus groups were used to discern participants' current level of understanding about the association between their environment and health behaviors. Common themes identified in the focus groups were used to create a guide for the mapping process. Participants used the guide to document aspects of their environment that promoted or impeded healthy behaviors. Participating families shared results with community residents, service organizations and public officials. These dissemination activities raised awareness about the impact of the environment on health, and helped the communities identify targets for advocacy, intervention, and structural change.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize social and structural factors in the environment that influence dietary behaviors and physical activity;
• Assess the feasibility of implementing a manual mapping technique with two ethnically diverse community samples 3)

Keywords: Environment, Assessments

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.