Using social network analysis to measure the impact of a multi-component childhood obesity prevention program

In order to understand linkage between various aspects of the program we performed a social network analysis. Social network analysis (SNA) looks at individuals and their social ties. Conventional data focuses on individuals and their attributes; network data focus on individuals and relationships. The multi-component program consisted of in school health education, afterschool programs, summer and spring break camps and community based afterschool programs. Our analysis showed that the community program and one afterschool program had no or very limited linkage to the camps or to any other component of the program. Focusing on 2010 camps, we merged multi-week camp types (three types which may have multiple weeks) into one analysis unit because no student could attend more than one of each camp type. We see that spring break camp has many isolates – but that these isolates show multiple links to the afterschool programs. From this analysis, we can draw two important conclusions. First, the spring break camp is central to building relationships between the students in the after school programs and the summer camps. While there are students who only attend the camps (thus come from other schools), it is the spring break camp that allows students the opportunity for multiple exposures to the program which we know improves their health education knowledge. Second, one afterschool program had limited relationship with the camps. This same program showed less success in other knowledge and behavior measures. SNA is a valuable tool for understanding the impact of public health programs.