217647 Participatory Policy Development in a Northern New Mexico Community

Monday, November 8, 2010 : 10:45 AM - 11:00 AM

Victoria Sanchez, DrPH , Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
Ron Hale, MSEd , Office of Health Promotion/Community Health Improvement, New Mexico Department of Health/Public Health Division/Health Systems Bureau, Santa Fe, NM
Yolanda Cruz , Coordinator, San Miguel County Family & Community Health Council, Las Vegas, NM
Perdita Wexler, MA , Diabetes Prevention and Control Program/Public Health Division, New Mexico Department of Health, Santa Fe, NM
We report results of a one-year, participatory policy study in two school districts in a northern New Mexico community that is predominantly Hispanic with high poverty and obesity rates. Background: Local, community-based health planning partnerships are key participants and leaders in addressing social and health problems in their communities. Less well understood however is how these partnerships influence systems changes, and specifically local social or health policy. We are a university-community-agency collaboration currently engaged in a participatory research policy study to examine local school wellness policies related to physical activity and nutrition. Methods: We examined formal and informal school-based nutrition and physical education policies, through a participatory research process. Partners conducted a policy scan of school wellness policy and interviews with key school personnel to learn about formal and informal nutrition and physical activity policies. Partners also conducted two focus groups with middle school and high school students to examine how school policies influence students' eating and physical activity during the school day. Research partners have participated in various tasks and phases of the study, determined by interest, skill, and comfort level. Contribution: The systematic exploration of how partnerships influence systems change is particularly relevant in an era of a growing commitment to developing upstream approaches. Integrating participatory approaches into practice-based research can build community capacity to address public health problems. This participatory process also helps link research and practice and creates learning opportunities for community, agency, and university partners who are involved in creating healthy public policy.

Learning Areas:
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Program planning
Public health or related public policy
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
Identify key steps for implementing a successful interagency collaboration involving a university, a state health department, and community partners. Describe a process for community-based participatory research in school-based health policy development. Identify key steps in developing a participatory evaluation strategy.

Keywords: Community-Based Public Health, Organizational Change

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present because I am PI on the policy study in addition to co-directing the implementation of the project with my community partners.
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.