250260 Engaging the community and non-traditional partners to create healthier neighborhoods: Manchester, NH HEAL Innovation Fund Project

Monday, October 31, 2011: 12:48 PM

Jaime Hoebeke, MPH, CHES , Division of Chronic Disease Prevention and Neighborhood Health, City of Manchester Health Department, Manchester, NH
Amy Lodge, MPH , Division of Chronic Disease Prevention and Neighborhood Health, City of Manchester Health Department, Manchester, NH
Background: Physical and social environments are critical contributing factors to the development of chronic diseases. In the city of Manchester, NH, coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality is 1.5 to 2.0 times greater in high deprivation neighborhoods than low deprivation neighborhoods. Furthermore, 70% of this variation in CHD mortality rates is associated with neighborhood poverty. To address these health inequities, the City of Manchester Health Department (MHD) is collaborating with multi-field sectors, community partners, and neighborhood residents to identify policy and environmental change strategies to create safe and healthy neighborhoods that support physical activity as part of everyday life. Methods: With the support of the Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth, MHD has utilized quality improvement methods for ongoing performance measurement and evaluation, and adopted a research-established theoretical framework (Behavioral Model of Environment, Moudon, A.V. et.al.) to guide the practical exploration of known attributes of walkability at the level of local public health practice. Results: MHD has successfully applied research frameworks and quality improvement tools to establish a neighborhood-based methodology for assessing known attributes of walkability, identifying policy and environmental change recommendations, and developing neighborhood-specific action plans. Core to this methodology is Community Based Participatory Research, the engagement of neighborhood residents as empowered partners in the community health improvement process. Conclusions/Discussion: The city is committed to improving its capacity for intentional community design through replication of this methodology within other neighborhoods, and will continue to address place-based factors affecting health as a means to creating health-promoting environments for all residents.

Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and prevention
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe the practical approach and application of research tools undertaken by local public health practitioners to assess and improve the built environment within disadvantaged neighborhoods. Identify the critical components of the neighborhood-based methodology that was established in Manchester, NH to create safe and healthy neighborhoods that support physical activity as part of everyday life. Explain the importance of engaging community residents as empowered partners in health improvement efforts.

Keywords: Chronic Diseases, Community-Based Public Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the lead staff person involved with directing, implementing, and evaluating the HEAL Innovation Fund Project. I am a Senior Public Health Specialist who oversees the Department's chronic disease prevention programming.
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.