Online Program

329909
Moving the Hollygrove Best Babies Zone community forward though Environmental Health Initiatives


Wednesday, November 4, 2015 : 8:50 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Charlotte Parent, RN, MHCM, New Orleans Health Department, New Orleans, LA
Kristen Kirksey, MPH, Best Babies Zone, New Orleans Health Department, New Orleans, LA
In the Hollygrove neighborhood of New Orleans, babies are three times more likely to be born with low birthweight than babies born in the average American neighborhood. Research demonstrates that complex social and environmental issues contribute to this disparity.

Hollygrove is bound by four major roadways, and has large areas of blighted housing, vacant lots strewn with trash and housing debris, and poor lighting. Additionally, a potential plan to relocate a train to the neighborhood would increase railway traffic and subsequent air pollution.

When the Hollygrove BBZ was initiated, the community identified through its Health Impact Assessment (HIA) environmental issues as one of its priorities.  Residents indicated that these environmental issues caused them to feel unsafe and that their health was being affected.

As a result of the HIA, BBZ Hollygrove worked with the community to cultivate and build local leadership and social cohesion to improve environmental conditions in the neighborhood. These efforts included supporting advocacy efforts surrounding blight, streetlight repair, and train relocation to Hollygrove. BBZ Hollygrove also initiated air and soil testing to determine their impact on environment and health.

The presentation will outline the HIA process, successes and challenges that have occurred, and the current progress of the projects.  We will share plans for the future focus of the Hollygrove BBZ as well as how the zonal work is being utilized in other city zonal projects.

Learning Areas:

Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe the goals and strategies of the Hollygrove Best Babies Zone Initiative (BBZ). Describe the Health Impact Assessment process, identification of social determinants as a priority by the community. Identify the strengths and challenges of addressing Environmental Health issues in the Hollygrove BBZ. Discuss the future environmental health issues for the Hollygrove BBZ. Describe how the zonal work in Hollygrove BBZ is being utilized in citywide zonal work.

Keyword(s): Infant Mortality, Maternal and Child Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Director of the New Orleans Health Department as well as an RN with over 35 years public health and community organizing experience. I have been an administrator with the Hollygrove Best Babies Zone since its' inception.
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.