Open Access Articles - Page 5 of 10 - Health Behavior and Policy Review

Using Digital Platforms in Schools for Prevention and Health Promotion: A Scoping Review

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

Authors:

Christian Dagenais, PhD
Michelle Proulx, PhD
Esther Mc Sween-Cadieux, PhD

Objective:

Digital platforms for prevention and health promotion (PHP) are now, more than ever, available for use by school professionals, including teachers. However, little is known about what motivates them to use such platforms. A scoping review (ScR) was conducted to identify conditions that promote use by school professionals, including teachers, of PHP digital platforms at schools.

Methods:

For our ScR, we accessed ERIC, Sociological Abstracts, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Web of Science databases (period 2000-2018) in 3 sectors: education, health, online technologies. For each study, we prepared and validated a summary sheet. Contents dealing with conditions for use were subjected to open coding, grouped into categories, and synthesized.

Results:

Of the 3639 articles captured, 17 studies were selected. Five conditions emerged: (1) ensuring that the digital platform becomes a reference for PHP activity in schools; (2) that the resources needed for its uptake are mobilized; (3) that it is user-friendly; (4) that the digital platform engages the participation of everyone involved; and (5) that it is linked to existing programs in the school.

Conclusions:

These results can guide the activities deployed in schools for optimal implementation of PHP programs from digital platforms.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 9, Number 2, March 2022, pp. 719-737(19)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.9.2.1

Steven Rowe2022-04-05T11:22:21-06:00March 30th, 2022|School Health, Technology Use|

Associations among Eating Habits, Health Conditions, and Education Level in North Dakota Adults

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Authors:

Amir Alakaam, PhD, RDN, LDN, MBChB
Madeline Lett, MPH, BSN
Hailey Puckett, MPH
Katherine Kite, BSPS

Objective:

Many socioeconomic factors can influence the consumption of a nutritious diet. To uncover factors influencing nutrition habits in North Dakota, we implemented a community-based nutrition education program.

Methods:

The program consisted of 6 educational sessions at a farmer’s market in North Dakota. We collected data through a questionnaire to assess individuals’ demographic information, health conditions, fruit and vegetable intake, and nutrition knowledge (N = 290). We analyzed the data using descriptive, chi-square, and one-way ANOVA analysis.

Results:

Overall, 37% of participants had a 4-year college degree, 20% had a master’s degree, 18% had a high school degree, and 17% had a 2-year or vocational degree. The chi-square analysis indicated a statistically significant correlation between education level and health condition (p = .010) and average total fruit and vegetable intake (p = .020). Participants with a higher level of education had fewer chronic disease diagnoses and ate more fruits and vegetables. The one-way ANOVA indicated a statistically significant relationship between education and nutrition knowledge (p < .001).

Conclusions:

Individuals with higher nutrition knowledge may have healthier eating habits and better health outcomes. Future nutrition education programs are needed to improve health equity and the population’s overall eating habits.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 9, Number 1, January 2022, pp. 636-644(9)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.9.1.2

Steven Rowe2022-02-02T11:18:21-07:00February 1st, 2022|Free, Healthy People 2030|

College-level Personal Health Courses: A Perspective for Improving Their Relevance and Reducing Health Disparities in the US

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

Authors:

Philip Jacobs, PhD
Arvi Ohinmaa

Objective:

In this paper, we explore how the relevance of college-level personal health courses could be enhanced and how these courses could be leveraged for improving student health and providing access to information useful in reducing health disparities and improving overall health in adulthood.

Methods:

We examine and interpret literature on college student health and the content and delivery of personal health courses.

Results:

College-level personal health courses occur in many different academic units and through numerous delivery modes. College students’ ability to access and use health information may be a social determinant of health later in life. Whereas specific course content varies, it underperforms in relevance to students’ lives. Specific areas needing improvement are mental health, interpersonal relationships, food selection and preparation on a budget, harm reduction with respect to alcohol use, and other areas that currently receive insufficient attention.

Conclusions:

Personal health courses may have the potential to reduce health disparities if access to college and relevant health-related information can be operationalized better. Motivated by the impact on collegiate life by the COVID-19 pandemic, we recommend research that leads to reform of college-level personal health courses responsive to student interests and delivery mechanisms that enhance motivation to learn, and result in reduced susceptibility to chronic diseases and improved adult health and quality of life.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 9, Number 1, January 2022, pp. 645-659(15)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.9.1.3

Steven Rowe2022-02-04T11:27:25-07:00February 1st, 2022|College Health, Health Education, Healthy People 2030|

Messaging Considerations in Teen Pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention

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

Authors:

Kayla Knopp, PhD
Galena Rhoades, PhD
Lisa Rue, PhD
Michael Floren, PhD
Kiley Floren, MPH

Objective:

Teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention are top public health goals. Despite decades of research, programs to prevent adverse sexual health outcomes among adolescents show limited effectiveness in broad dissemination. In the current study, we aimed to identify understudied factors that may impact effectiveness of teen pregnancy and STI prevention (TPP) programs, with goals of informing innovation in program development and outlining future research priorities.

Methods:

A panel of experts in TPP programs generated a list of understudied constructs in evaluation research, distilled to 3 considerations regarding messaging: single versus multiple messages, adverse effects of safety messages, and sociocultural context. We conducted an exploratory search of published literature in health promotion fields targeted toward messaging strategies, and we synthesized information from relevant empirical and review papers.

Results:

Limited evidence was found suggesting multiple messages or adverse message impacts are likely to impair TPP program effectiveness overall, although both may emerge in certain contexts and populations. In contrast, considerable evidence highlighted the importance of cultural context and individual differences.

Conclusions:

Effective TPP program messaging should be consistent, tailored, and systemic. Future research should evaluate these messaging strategies to determine whether they may enhance program impacts.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 8, Number 6, November 2021, pp. 596-608(13)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.8.6.10

Steven Rowe2022-01-02T10:11:54-07:00January 2nd, 2022|Pregnancy, Sexual Health|

That Pop-Up Restaurant: Innovation in a Summer Feeding Program

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

Authors:

Keyondra L. Brooks, PhD
Will Rapp, MS
Jennifer Ogleby
Matt Shepherd, PhD

Objective:

That Pop-Up Restaurant Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) was a federally reimbursed program that first served healthy meals to families in a rural Kansas community during the summer of 2017. The program aimed to empower communities to address child hunger by reducing stigma concerning food assistance and providing high-quality, nutritious meals to families. This pilot was developed to increase low utilization rates of summer feeding programs.

Methods:

An ecological approach was implemented to engage students and families. Program innovations included an open menu ordering format with paid adult meals and proper food storage while maintaining USDA’s nutritional requirements. Additionally, the menu options exceeded fruit and vegetable requirements.

Results:

On average, 9.6% of youth who participated in the free and reduced-price lunch programs participated daily in summer nutrition during the 2016-2017 school year (FRAC, 2019). Comparatively, That Pop-Up Restaurant’s pilot had over 25% of eligible youth participate in the program one or more times.

Conclusions:

That Pop-Up Restaurant summer food service program showed promising results for the target population and program developers aim to replicate the program in various communities.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 8, Number 6, November 2021, pp. 620-627(8)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.8.6.12

Steven Rowe2021-12-30T21:43:43-07:00December 30th, 2021|Nutrition, Youth|

A Content Analysis of Implementation Strategies Chosen by Virginia School Nutrition Directors

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

Authors:

Kathleen J. Porter, PhD, RD
Kelly Shomo, MPH
Sandra Curwood, PhD, RDN
Sarah A. Misyak, PhD, MPH

Objective:

School-based interventions are common approaches to address childhood obesity; however, there is little understanding of strategies that can foster their implementation into schools. In this study, we aimed to identify goals and the specific strategies selected by school nutrition directors (SNDs) in Virginia to execute school-based interventions.

Methods:

Between 2018 and 2019, SNDs in Virginia participated in Team Nutrition workshops through which they created action plans. We carried out a content analysis of 132 action plans collected from 100 school divisions. We developed codes deductively and inductively. The codes captured plan completion, goals, and strategies. Each plan was independently coded by 2 coders.

Results:

Action plans included 1.2 goals (SD = 0.54) and 3.9 strategies per goal (SD = 2.1). Goals were most commonly related to improving menus or increasing participation in the school meal programs. The strategies varied based on the goals. However, obtaining buy-in from school personnel and students was the most commonly included goal (64.4%) across plans. The level of action plan completion decreased with each subsequent section of the worksheet.

Conclusions:

Emerging patterns identified in this study suggest SNDs’ strategy selection is based on goals and that trainings should be tailored to promote the development of skills required to execute optimal strategies.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 8, Number 6, November 2021, pp. 585-595(11)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.8.6.9

Steven Rowe2021-12-30T21:42:26-07:00December 30th, 2021|Implementation, Nutrition|

The Impact of COVID-19 on Pre-K-12 Students and Staff in a Mid-sized Metropolitan Area

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

Authors:

Paul R. Teran, MD
Julia Kononowicz, MD
Stephanie Kuhlmann, DO
Julian Dedeaux, PhD
Kari Harris, MD

Objective:

During fall 2020, schools used a variety of learning modes based on anticipated risk of viral transmission within schools.

Methods:

De-identified SARS-CoV-2 data from 11 school districts in the Wichita, Kansas metropolitan area from August 1 to November 15, 2020, was collated for analysis. The Sedgwick County Health Department (SCHD) and Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) databases were accessed for community-level and contact tracing data.

Results:

Altogether, 13,573 staff and 54,479 students receiving full or partial on-site (hybrid) education were included. Few students (1.4%) or staff (4.7%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. District rates varied from 0.1% to 3.3% in students and 0.7% to 8.7% in staff. Students in grades 9-12 had a higher rate of positive tests and cases were more likely linked to school-based exposure. Staff rate by grade level did not show an identifiable trend; staff rates were higher in non-attendance centers.

Conclusions:

Low SARS-CoV-2 student case rates suggests on-site learning formats may be appropriate. School trends reflected community rate reinforcing that community-level interventions are necessary to decrease transmission. As new variants arise, transmission characteristics must be studied. Health and education partnership is important to ensure the greatest well-being for students and staff.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 8, Number 6, November 2021, pp. 575-584(10)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.8.6.8

Steven Rowe2021-12-30T21:40:08-07:00December 30th, 2021|COVID19, School Health|

Development and Psychometric Assessment of Questionnaires for Evaluation of Social Support for Healthy Breakfast and Snack Consumption

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

Authors:

Fatemeh Bastami, PhD
Firoozeh Mostafavi, PhD
Arash Ardalan, MD, MPH
Fereshteh Zamani-Alavijeh, PhD

Objective:

Social support is one of the predictors of nutrition behaviors. Therefore, measuring and improving the level of support is necessary to improve students’ nutritional status. The purpose of this study was to design instruments and evaluate their psychometric properties for the evaluation of social support for breakfast and snack consumption.

Methods:

This methodological study was carried out from 2016 to 2018. The qualitative phase was performed in 3 Iranian cities: Isfahan, Khorramabad and Tehran. The quantitative phase was completed in Isfahan only. Initially, 2 questionnaires were developed using the results of the qualitative research. Subsequently, we assessed the face, content, and construct validity of both instruments.

Results:

The maternal support questionnaire consisted of 3 dimensions, including mother-sponsored support, family life pattern, and school-based collaboration, which explained 55.35% of the instrument’s variance. The school support questionnaire comprised 2 dimensions including informational support and instrumental support, which explained 54.52% of the variance in the results.

Conclusions:

These instruments can be used to measure and improve social support by designing, implementing, and evaluating community-based campaigns and interventions to improve breakfast consumption and snacking behaviors among children and youth at home and in school.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 8, Number 6, November 2021, pp. 558-569(12)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.8.6.6

Steven Rowe2021-12-30T21:38:17-07:00December 30th, 2021|Nutrition, Psychometric Assessment, Social Support|

Effective Elements of School-based Provision for the Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles: A European Delphi Study

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

Authors:

Richard Bailey, PhD
Iva Glibo, MSc
Claude Scheuer, PhD

Objective:

Schools can serve as settings for promoting their student health, although it is necessary to identify the key elements of provision to leverage change. This study’s objective was to develop a Europe-based list of the elements of learning and health support systems judged by a group of experts to be most effective in influencing school student healthy lifestyles education.

Methods:

A 3-stage Delphi study involving a group of 18 Europe-based subject specialists was used to articulate shared expert opinions on the main research question: what are the most effective elements of learning and health support systems influencing school students’ healthy lifestyles education? Over 3 rounds of data-gathering, experts were asked to assess the effectiveness of 25 specific elements.

Results:

The 3 rounds resulted in the following ranked list: Physical Education (PE), Staff Professional Development, Healthy School Policies, Active Recess, Family & Community Engagement, Healthy Eating, Physical Activity in Classroom Lessons, and Active Transport.

Conclusions:

Cautious of overly generalizing from the results, we suggest the findings offer useful information for evidence-based programs, as well as future research that explores the necessary components of health promotion in schools.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 8, Number 6, November 2021, pp. 546-557(12)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.8.6.5

Steven Rowe2021-12-30T21:35:45-07:00December 30th, 2021|Lifestyle, School Health|

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

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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
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

Steven Rowe2021-12-30T21:34:00-07:00December 30th, 2021|Implementation, Program Planning, School Health|

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