Building community capacity in rural Mississippi Delta for policy and environmental systems change

Background: The MS Delta has oftentimes been compared to developing countries in terms of health and social conditions, factors which conspire to produce an increased risk for poor health outcomes including heart disease and stroke.

Objective: To build capacity at the community level to effectively implement policy and change the environment to reduce risk factors for heart disease, including access to healthy foods and physical activity and reduced exposure to tobacco smoke.

Methods: 19 MS Delta municipalities were selected through a competitive process to: 1) build or strengthen a coalition of community partners in collaboration with their Mayor's office and 2) develop and implement a community action plan to address risk factors for heart disease at the policy and environmental systems levels. Focus groups were held and community members were surveyed in each municipality to assess each community's most pressing need. Councils received training and technical assistance on policy and environmental change. The project partnered with Emory University Prevention Research Center and Jackson State University to evaluate the project.

Results: During a 9-month time frame, 5 municipalities worked with their local school districts to implement joint-use agreements allowing community members to use school facilities; 4 municipalities implemented smoke-free air policies; and 11 municipalities developed community gardens.

Conclusion: Results to date demonstrate promise in facilitating policy and environmental change to support healthy behaviors through the institution of Mayor's Health Councils to actively engage community members. The program intends to replicate this model in neighboring municipalities.