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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Claudia Graham, MBA, Strengthening the Black Family, 568 E. Lenoir St, P.O. Box 28715, Raleigh, NC 27611, 919 856-2700, claudia.graham@co.wake.nc.us, Janice Holden, BA, Riley Hill Family Life Center, 568 E. Lenoir St, Raleigh, NC 27611, Dianne Grimes, BA, Pine Acres Community Center, 568 E. Lenoir St, Raleigh, NC 27611, Betsy E. Havens, MPH, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina School of Public Health, Rosenau Hall Campus Box 7440, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, and Eugenia Eng, MPH, DrPH, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina, School of Public Health CB #7440, Chapel Hill, NC 27599.

Background/Purpose: Chronic diseases and associated risk factors affect low-income, African American communities in North Carolina at disproportionate levels. Project SELF (Smoking, Education, Lifestyle, and Fitness) Improvement used a multi-generational intervention to improve behaviors of physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco use prevention among low-income residents of three (one urban and two rural) African American communities. Activities were phased-in and built upon each community-based organization's existing capacity to reach adults and youth and deliver programs. The purpose of this paper is to present intervention products and report evaluation findings from five years of implementation.

Methods: Project SELF's multi-generational intervention activities, implemented by a Project Coordinator at each site, included: training lay health leaders and forming a lay health advisory network; Ready, Set, Walk groups; Gospel-cize; Holiday Make-Overs; and a resource directory of available youth and adult programs that address physical activity, nutrition, and smoking for youth and adults. The evaluation used a participatory approach and longitudinal design to enroll and follow 1000 participants, who completed an annual questionnaire during the five-year project period.

Results: Evaluation findings indicated: Increase by 15% in proportion of youth, and by 20% in the proportion of adults, who engaged in moderate physical activity; Reduction by 20% in number of adults who engaged in no physical activity; Increase by 100% in the number of youth and adults who consume at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day; and Delay in the average age of smoking initiation one year beyond baseline among youth.

Learning Objectives: