Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #117523

Amy Vastine-Ries, MHS, Department of Population and Family Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, 615 North Wolfe Street, W4510, Baltimore, MD 21205, 410-467-9382, avastine@jhsph.edu, Mary Anne Shepherd, RNC, FNP, Ellaville Primary Medicine Center, Sumter Regional Hospital, 103 Broad Street, Ellaville, GA 31806, Sandra Daniel, PhD (c), RN, School of Nursing, Georgia Southwestern State University, 800 Wheatley St, Americus, GA 31709, and Fannie Fonseca-Becker, DrPH, Director, J&J Community HealthCare Scholars Program, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 111 Market Place, Suite 310, Baltimore, MD 21202.

Background: The prevalence of overweight and obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Children are increasingly affected by overweight and obesity, highlighting the need to intervene in youth when dietary and physical activity habits are being established. Ellaville Primary Medical Center has implemented an after school program for elementary school children that aims to reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease through exercise and nutrition education. As the organization becomes increasingly involved in implementing community-based programs, there is an increased need for assessing the effectiveness of these interventions.

Methods: Through a participatory approach, the organization will use a conceptual framework to identify key indicators and develop data collection instruments. In-house capacity in evaluation will be acquired through training of program staff in the use of EPI INFO for data management, analysis and presentation.

Results: After two years of collaboration, the organization's long term sustainability will have increased through the use of specific evaluation skills including the use of a conceptual framework for program evaluation, the development of data collection instruments, and the use of EPI INFO for data management, analysis and presentation.

Conclusion: Partnerships between community health care organizations and academic institutions are a promising means of building in-house capacity to measure program effectiveness in preventing childhood obesity.

Learning Objectives: