141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

291874
Communities putting prevention to work (CPPW): Evaluation of healthy eating and physical activity policies, practices and environmental supports in metropolitan government departments in Nashville, Tennessee

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 : 11:10 AM - 11:30 AM

Celia Larson, PhD , Metro Public Health Department, Nashville, TN
Tracy Buck, MS, RD , Prevention and Wellness, Metro Public Health Dept., Nashville, TN
Rebecca Morris, BS, CLC , Prevention and Wellness, Metro Public Health Department, Nashville, TN
Jason Stamm, MS , Prevention and Wellness, Metro Public Health Department, Nashville, TN
David Campbell, MS , Prevention and Wellness, Metro Public Health Department, Nashville, TN
Alisa Haushalter, DNP, RN , Nemours Health and Prevention Services, Nemours Health System, Newark, DE
INTRODUCTION. Nashville's CPPW initiative sought to increase workplace policies and practices that support healthy eating, lactation, exercise, and active transit among 55 Metro departments. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent to which policies and practices changed during the grant funded period, 2010-2012. METHODS. An electronic survey was developed based on question items selected from previously validated instruments and national guidelines/standards for each focus area measured. The survey was emailed to all department leaders resulting in 39 responses during the fall of 2012 and 2013. RESULTS. New policies were adopted in the areas of focus and revealed the following department-wide pre-post changes: healthy eating (5%-18%); lactation support (0%-18%); exercise (5%-21%); active transit (3%-8%). Practice and environmental supports increased department-wide. Percentage changes pre-post were as follows: healthy eating (43%-66%); lactation support (48%-72%); exercise (21%-32%); and active transit (22%-33%). DISCUSSION. Positive changes in workplace wellness policies and practices occurred across all Metro departments during the grant funded period. The CPPW healthier workplace campaign was strengthened by a “Worksite Challenge,” a mayoral lead call to action for healthier workplaces community-wide. Results at the department level and estimates of reach will be presented. Examples that illustrate the roadmap to adoption and strengthening of policies and practices and the barriers encountered will be discussed.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Epidemiology
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe a method for assessing healthy eating and physical activity policies and practices Identify 3 barriers to achieving policy changes in workplaces Describe the role of policy adoption for improving the health of the workforce

Keywords: Worksite, Policy/Policy Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been Director of Evaluation of federally funded grants focusing on public health issues at the organizational and individual level for over 25 years. I provided oversight to the evaluation of this project, conducted all analysis and prepared reports.
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.