184574 Healthy youth in healthy schools and communities: Using an assets place-based perspective

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Sonia Jain, DrPH , Health and Human Development, WestEd, Oakland, CA
Janet Brown, MSc , Community Assessment, Planning and Education/Evaluation Unit, Alameda County Public Health Department, Oakland, CA
Sandra Witt, DrPH , Community Assessment, Planning and Education Unit, Alameda County Public Health Department, Oakland, CA
Tony Iton, MD, JD, MPH , Health Officer and Director, Alameda County Department of Public Health, Oakland, CA
Background: Public health researchers and practitioners have traditionally focused on using a deficit-focused approach to eliminating disparities in youth health. Moreover, few in public health have made the link between health and education such that community building efforts partnering with school policy makers are rare. The assets-based resilience perspective suggests that when the focus is on supporting youth at least 70% of youth under adversity manage to adapt successfully. This presentation will highlight how the assets-based perspective was used to assess and address place-level disparities in youth health linking community and school-level strategies.

Methods: Data from the California Healthy Kids Survey 2005-06, Department of Education, school districts, and the Census 2000 was analyzed to examine the link between health and education, assets and health, and disparities by schools and census tracts. Data was shared with a multi-disciplinary group of policy makers from public health, school districts, community and youth groups to initiate collaborative action for building healthy environments to support healthy youth.

Results: We found preliminary evidence that 1) neighborhood poverty and education levels are strong predictors of health, 2) disadvantaged/poorer schools and communities can still have high developmental assets and high academic performance, 3) investing in assets will improve academic performance at the school level, 4) a ‘healthy' community is one with high levels of youth assets.

Conclusion: Investing in assets would improve academic performance and health at the youth and school levels. Some general conclusions and strategies to involve the school districts and policy makers will be shared.

Learning Objectives:
Understand the importance of school-community partnerships to inform policy change. Name 3 assets in the schools and communities that are critical for healthy development of all youth Articulate the value of resilience approaches to improve youth health and reduce disparities.

Keywords: Community Assets, Youth

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Facilitated and led the interdisciplinary project linking community and school research and policy efforts focusing on assets. Doctoral dissertation exploring resilient trajectories of high-risk youth.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.