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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Joseph R. Sharkey, PhD MPH RD¹, John D. Prochaska, MPH¹, Scott Horel, MA², Erin Chambers, RD³, and Li Zhu⁴. (1) Texas Healthy Aging Research Network (TxHAN) Center, School of Rural Public Health, MS 1266, College Station, TX 77843-1266, 979-458-4268, jrsharkey@srph.tamhsc.edu, (2) GIS Lab, School of Rural Public Health, MS 1266, College Station, TX 77843-1266, (3) Social and Behavioral Health, School of Rural Public Health, MS 1266, College Station, TX 77843-1266, (4) Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Texas A&M System Health Science Center, TAMU 1266, College Station, TX 77843-1266u

Ecological approaches to behavior change and health recognize that there is a dynamic interaction between the individual and aspects of the environment. Considering that the food environment (access, availability, and affordability) may influence food choice and dietary intake, it is a critical component of disease prevention and management that is rarely measured. The influence of the food environment may be especially vital to low-income or minority older adults who reside in rural areas, and face greater vulnerability to food insecurity, poor nutritional health and increased burden of disease. Using existent and newly developed data sources, including systematic “rural drive arounds” and tablet PC-based Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geographic Information System (GIS)-based methodology, this study geospatially addresses (census block group level) special vulnerabilities and food environment exposures (food stores and food service places) in six rural counties in the Texas Brazos Valley. Specifically, we will describe the spatial distribution of supermarkets/grocery stores and convenience stores, place-to-place variation of stores, and observed variation within types of stores. In addition, this presentation will describe the development and pilot testing of strategies, using a tablet PC-based survey, to measure availability and affordability of healthy foods through an audit conducted in all food stores and food service places in two rural counties. Finally, we will characterize address-specific food environment (accessibility, availability, and affordability) for 425 older adults who reside in the two rural counties where food store audits were conducted.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Describe variations between and within types of food stores and food service places.
• Recognize the value of using a spatial representation of community food resources.
• Describe the relationship between the food environment and a sample of older adults.

Keywords: Food and Nutrition, Environment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No