Program Planning

Addressing Community Health Worker Wellness and Self-care: A Formative Evaluation

An Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.

Authors:

Chelsey Kirkland, PhD, MPH, CHW
Jeffrey S. Hallam, PhD, FRSPH

Objective:

Community health workers (CHWs) experience higher than average risks for chronic diseases and poor health and are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic due to being from historically marginalized populations. Despite limited literature, these factors indicate a need for CHW-specific support programming for wellness and self-care. Therefore, we conducted formative evaluation using virtual focus groups (N = 5) using descriptive and interpretive qualitative research methods to inform a program called “HANS KAI.”

Methods:

The focus groups included CHWs (N = 35) and CHW supervisors (N = 5) to explore CHW-support programming needs and understand their perceptions of HANS KAI. Two moderators followed a semi-structured focus group guide with questions and prompts focused on 5 primary domains: (1) Intervention Initiation, (2) Impact of Agency Culture, (3) HANS KAI Meeting Details, (4) HANS KAI Meeting Topics, and (5) Intervention Incentives. Audio-transcribed data were aggregated and analyzed for each domain with inductive codes involving iterative cycles of descriptive and in vivo coding. Salient themes and sub-themes were developed based on the domains.

Results:

We developed 8 salient themes within the domains.

Conclusions:

Our findings reveal that CHW HANS KAI components reflect CHWs’ needs, may benefit CHWs, and provide insights into CHW-specific programming.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
Article Link: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.10.3.2

2023-08-19T15:38:25-06:00July 26th, 2023|Community Health, Physical Activity, Program Planning|

Hallways to Health: School Health Beyond School-Based Health Center Walls

An Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.
The full article is available as a PDF download.

Authors:

Sara Geierstanger, MPH
Jordanna Snyder, MPH, CHES Twitter
Hayley Love, PhD, MSc
Andrea Shore, MPH
John Schlitt, MSW

Objective:

In this paper, we describe the implementation and outcomes of an initiative that engaged school-based health centers (SBHCs) in a learning community to create programmatic and policy school health changes beyond the health center walls.

Methods:

Sixty respondents completed impact surveys and 13 coalitions completed progress reports to document schoolwide wellness efforts and outcomes in stakeholder engagement, student healthy eating and active living, student social and emotional wellness, and school staff wellness.

Results:

Respondents reported pre- to post-intervention improvements in stakeholder engagement, including school administration promotion of school health policies (from 64% to 95%), and teacher participation in SBHC sponsored activities (from 63% to 98%). They reported schoolwide policy and programmatic achievements including increased opportunities for physical activity for students during school hours (from 55% to 85%), access to behavioral health counseling and support services to all students, either on-site or through referrals (from 62% to 89%), and offering healthy food or nutrition education to staff (from 10% to 73%).

Conclusions:

SBHC staff, school employees, and community members can work collaboratively to assess student physical and mental health needs, and develop and implement school policies and programs beyond the clinic walls.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 8, Number 6, November 2021, pp. 503-513(11)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.8.6.2

2021-12-30T21:34:00-07:00December 30th, 2021|Implementation, Program Planning, School Health|

Collaboration, Training and Resources to Support School Policy Development and Recovery from Concussion

Authors:

Karen Sadler, MCP
Kate Turcotte, MSc
Shelina Babul, PhD

Objective:

Concussion is a public health concern across all ages, yet there is little research on providing concussion education and training within the educational context. The Concussion Awareness Training Tool for School Professionals (CATT SP) was developed to provide the necessary concussion education and resources for school professionals to support a student with concussion while integrating back to school.

Methods:

The CATT SP module underwent a 2016 pre/post-intervention evaluation to determine if knowledge and attitudes significantly improved among educators and administrators following completion of the CATT SP, as well as a 2018-19 pilot study within a school district in British Columbia with an accompanying Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement assessment.

Results:

A statistically significant positive change in knowledge (p = .027) was found among those who indicated that they had accessed CATT SP. Results of the pilot study and QA/QI assessment found support of the use of CATT within the school district.

Conclusions:

Evidence-based concussion training and resources are key components for school professionals who are collaboratively supporting a student’s individualized return to school and learning following a concussion, and when developing and implementing a concussion policy within districts and school.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 8, Number 3, May 2021, pp. 257-268(12)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.8.3.7

2021-06-30T21:27:06-06:00June 30th, 2021|Health Policy, Program Planning|

Utilizing Partnerships to Identify Community Needs and Analyze Network Collaboration in Public Health

An Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.
The full article is available as a PDF download.

Authors:

Daenuka Muraleetharan, PhD
Ellen Jones, PhD
Josh McCawley, MPH
Katherine Ferrell Fouquier, CNM, PhD, FACNM
Whitney Garney, PhD, MPH
Kelly Wilson, PhD, MCHES

Objective:

LinkedUp is a multi-sector partnership focused on linking older teens (ages 17-19) to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services at school-based health centers (SBHCs) in Mississippi. The purpose of this study was to examine key partnerships in LinkedUp development, focusing on community needs that initiated the formation of the partnership, and patterns of collaboration among these partners.

Methods:

In 2018, researchers conducted interviews (N = 3) and focus groups (N = 9) with Mississippi school administrators and high school and college students. In 2019, evaluators examined collaboration between these community partners (N = 6) using an interorganizational network analysis survey.

Results:

Thematic analyses of qualitative data indicated a need to commit to linking older teens to SRH services by increasing communication/planning among community stakeholders. Network analysis scores included an average network density of 1, strength of tie of 3.04, and degree centrality of 4.6 (SD = 1.4) for partners.

Conclusions:

Our findings illustrate how community stakeholders inform the development of a public health program as critical partners during both needs assessment and program development phases. This information can be used by practitioners and policymakers interested in addressing complex, community-level health issues.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 8, Number 1, January 2021, pp. 48-59(12)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.8.1.5

2021-04-29T22:01:17-06:00February 22nd, 2021|Community Health, Program Planning|
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