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American Public Health Association
133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition
December 10-14, 2005
Philadelphia, PA
APHA 2005
 
5034.0: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 - 8:45 AM

Abstract #113724

Advancing Public Health Policy: A State Model for Change

Kevin A. Alvarnaz, MBA, Bureau of Chronic Diseases and Injury Prevention, Pennsylvania Department of Health, P.O. Box 90, Harrisburg, PA 17108, 717-787-2957, kalvarnaz@state.pa.us and Allison Topper, MS, Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition and Activity, Penn State - Harrisburg, 777 West Harrisburg Pike, Middletown, PA 17057.

In 2001, the Pennsylvania Department of Health received funding from the CDC to develop a statewide program to prevent obesity and related chronic diseases. The Department convened a multi-disciplinary group of stakeholders and released a statewide obesity prevention plan in 2003. The Department also created the Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition & Physical Activity (PANA). Since 2003, PANA has created a powerful coalition of more than 500 public and private organizations, academic institutions, and professional associations to assist in the coordination of statewide efforts to implement the state's Obesity Prevention Plan. This organizational model was designed to work at the intersection of social, environmental, and political processes that influence change. Through the development of a social marketing framework, thousands of schools, community volunteers, and health, recreation, land-use, and transportation professionals have engaged in coordinated programs and activities to create measurable and sustainable change. Pennsylvania has developed a “social movement” for obesity prevention efforts by developing a critical mass around specific and actionable programs and activities. At the same time, systems have been established to measure progress of collective change over-time. As a result of comprehensive and coordinated planning, this social movement has helped to shape state and local policies in transportation, education, and public health and healthcare issues. The session will demonstrate the process for developing statewide infrastructure and explore the functions of this organizational model. In addition, information will be presented on how Pennsylvania is working to evaluate the diversity and contributions of state and local partners.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to

Keywords: Obesity, Infrastructure

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.

[ Recorded presentation ] Recorded presentation

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The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA