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Cultivating a healthier community: One seed at a time through a community gardens
Monday, October 31, 2011: 2:50 PM
May Wang, BS
,
School of Public Health, Dept. Health Promotion & Education, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
Jacob Liu, BA
,
School of Public Health, Dept. Health Promotion & Education, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
Amanda Annan, BA
,
School of Public Health, Dept. Health Promotion & Education, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
Emily Wawro, BA
,
School of Public Health, Dept. Health Promotion & Education, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
David Busolo, MPH, RN
,
School of Public Health, Dept. Health Promotion & Education, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
Sherie Lou Santos, BA
,
School of Public Health, Dept. Health Promotion & Education, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
Jennifer Drader, BS
,
School of Public Health, Dept. Health Promotion & Education, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
Patti Herring, PhD, RN
,
School of Public Health, Dept. Health Promotion & Ed, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
Susanne Montgomery, PhD, MPH, MS
,
Behavioral Health Institute, Loma Linda University, Redlands, CA
In the US Black Americans have disproportionately more cancer and heart diseases, are twice as likely to have type 2 diabetes, and 1.5 times more likely to have high blood pressure than Whites of similar backgrounds. Poor nutrition and physical inactivity are key risk factors in developing these lifestyle diseases, especially for individuals living in disadvantaged communities where fresh produce is often hard to find and expensive. Community gardens have been identified as one approach to enhance nutrition and physical activity, promoting health in a holistic way thus resulting in higher quality of life. To inform program development, graduate students conducted a targeted needs and assets assessment with members, health leaders, and administrators at a church in Fontana, CA. Triangulated data were collected through ethnographies, windshield surveys, literature reviews, site observations, eight theory-based semi-structured interviews, and a confirmatory focus group. Data were coded, themed and analyzed using Grounded Theory methods. Results indicated a persistent lack of knowledge about the seriousness and early signs and risk factors for diabetes and high blood pressure, and barriers such as limited access to healthy food choices and age appropriate venues for physical activity, resulting in a lack of motivation to establish healthier lifestyle habits. A pilot program was developed, implemented, and process and impact evaluation used for continuous program improvement. Lessons learned will be discussed including grant proposal submission for program and community garden sustainability.
Learning Areas:
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Learning Objectives: By the end of the presentation, participants will be able to:
1. Describe critical components of a health promotion program centered on building and maintaining a community gardens that would provide quality foods & physical activity for the church community and the community at large.
2.Identify at least three barriers that participants living in an inner-city environment may encounter while building, maintaining, and sustaining a community gardens.
3.Describe how the project lessons learned from this community garden would be applicable to other inner-city communities.
Keywords: Community Collaboration, Community Health Programs
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a graduate student, working with other students who are conducting research, and program planning as part of our graduate studies.
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.
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