East Tennessee State UniversityCollege of Public Health

Department of Community Health

November 2011

Coordinated School Health (CSH) as a concept for improving children’s health and wellness

Statewide Evaluation of CSH in Tennessee

Youth Risk Behavior Survey

Team Up for Healthy Living Research Project

20 year prevalence of obesity

(CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System “BRFSS” data 2009)

Community and Parental Involvement is one component of CSH

Every day, children come to school not ready to learn

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To improve students’ health and their capacity to learn through the support of families, communities and schools.

Provide prevention education and interventions that encourage:

Healthy eating habits

Increased physical activity to counteract

sedentary lifestyles

Skills-based Comprehensive Health Education

Improving Nutrition Quality

Tennessee now ranks 2nd in the nation in the number of schools which do not sell soda or high-calorie fruit juices. The overall percentage rank increased from 26.7% in 2006 to 74% in 2008.

(Source: CDC’s School Health Profiles Report 2006 &2008)

During the 2008 school year, 64.7% of Tennessee secondary schools did not sell unhealthy food items in vending machines, school stores or snack bars. Tennessee ranks 6th in the nation in this category. (Source: CDC’s School Health Profiles Report 2006 &2008)

Quantifying “Coordination” in

Coordinated School Health Programs

Himmelman’s Strategies for Working Together as a

Theoretical Model

Community Empowerment: the ultimate goal

Effective collaboration is essential

Essential elements for success ◦Engage multiple elements of the community◦Work together for a common purpose◦Overcome barriers to working together: Time Trust Turf

Source: Himmelman, 2001

Networking Exchanging information for mutual benefit

Coordinating Exchanging information and altering activities for mutual benefit to achieve a common purpose

Cooperating Exchanging information, altering activities, sharing resources for mutual benefit to achieve a common purpose

Collaborating Exchanging information , altering activities, sharing resources and enhancing others’ capacity for mutual benefit to achieve a common purpose

Himmelman, 2001

“A process in which organizations exchange information, alter activities, share resources, and enhance each other’s capacity for mutual benefit and a common purpose by sharing risks, responsibilities, and rewards.”

Himmelman, 2001

Common vision and purposePower shared among partnersMutual learningMutual accountability for results

Himmelman, 2001

CSH 2009-2010 Continuation Requests for Proposal (RFP)

131 Tennessee School SystemsNarratives of CSH implementation

across all eight CSH components from the 2008-2009 academic year

Identify prominent themesCategorize prominent details and

main ideas based on Himmelman’s framework

Apply the Working Together Strategies on a continuum: ◦From Networking to Collaboration

All data were analyzed and coded independently by three doctoral-level graduate students.

Ratings were compared and discrepancies discussed.

Consensus decisions were made.

• High levels of stakeholder investment: extensive time commitments to provide healthy nutrition resources to students and to the community.

• Full sharing of resources between the school system and community organizations/groups to provide mutual benefit to all stakeholders.

• Use of local and national resources to provide healthy foods and a healthy food environment for students.

• Through partnerships they were able to access and provide resources to students.

School System Highlights:

◦Encourage student empowerment by providing opportunities for student input on physical activity program development.

◦Parent and community involvement made real by utilizing volunteers to supervise supplemental recess program.

◦Work with statewide health plan to provide speakers and physical activity opportunities throughout the school year (jump rope program, track program).

•Collaboration:• Helps the school system be a force for change in the community

• Ensures effective use of limited resources• Facilitates mutually beneficial, sustainable partnerships

• Helps with Community Asset Mapping – knowing what resources are available locally and elsewhere.

Within each school district across Tennessee, the CSH coordinator can ensure that high levels of engagement occur among

stakeholders.

Trust is fostered and groups represented enhance others’ capacity to work toward a common purpose:

improving students’ health and their capacity to learn.

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey: A Tool for Evidence-Based Practice

Surveillance system that monitors health risk behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of heath and disability among youth and adults.

High school-based survey for ages 15-18 conducted by the CDC nationwide as well as state, territorial, tribal and local surveys.

Middle School survey: in some areas, for ages 12-14

The YRBS can assesses 6 categories of priority health risk behaviors1. Behaviors that contribute to unintentional

injuries and violence2. Tobacco use 3. Alcohol and other drug use4. Sexual risk behaviors 5. Unhealthy dietary behaviors 6. Physical inactivity

unintentional injuries and violence suicidal ideation tobacco use alcohol and other drug use sexual behaviors that contribute to

unintended pregnancy and STDs, including HIV infection

unhealthy dietary behaviors and physical inactivity—plus overweight

and asthma

YRBS data can be used to support intervention efforts, develop intervention strategies and decision making processes through evidence-based practices.

1) Provides local, regional, state and national demographics.

2) Allows for the ranking of key behaviors and risks.

3) Allows for the identification of at risk regions and populations.

4) Used for comparisons of state and school district using Ns and CI’s

5) Allows for comparisons of middle school YRBS results with high school YRBS (cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis)

YRBS data are used to:

◦ Set goals and track progress toward goals

◦ Support modification of school health curricula or other programs

◦ Support new legislation and policies that promote health

◦ Seek funding and other support for new initiatives.

YRBS data are used to:

◦ Provide guidance for intervention strategies through:

Identification of at-risk populations. Identification of common risky behaviors in youth. Identification trends in behaviors and populations across

geographic designations

Federal, State and Local Government Agencies

State and Local School Systems

Nongovernmental Organizations

Using the data for facilitating evidence-based improvements in student health is the crucial component.

Personalized components for use with multiple stakeholders◦ Use your data to effectively focus community

engagement and action.◦ Brochures and resources geared towards

optimal use of your community’s outcomes

Obesity Prevention among high school students through a cross-peer intervention,

based on the work of Dr. Tiejian Wu

Establish an ETSU – Community partnership to prevent obesity in our region’s high school students

Specific aims:1.) Conduct a peer (ETSU student) led education

program in regional high schools2.) Determine if this program is effective for

improving student’s health outcomes3.) Determine which factors contribute to the

program’s success

The project will be implemented in regional public high schools.

Schools will be randomized to treatment or usual care.

ETSU college students will be trained by key personnel to conduct wellness education at participating schools.

Key Elements:◦ Team-Up for Healthy Living Curriculum◦ Team Action Activities

The curriculum consists of 8 group sessions lasting 40 minutes each.

Undergraduate college students will lead the sessions as peer facilitators.

Each wellness class will be divided into teams. Students will participate in team activities in order to foster trust and promote collaboration.

Introduction of the Program

Eating Styles/Nutrition Consciousness

Portion Distortion Small Steps Count Active Living Fun Sports

Effective Communication

Caring and Sharing Leadership Team-up for Change

Assessments will be performed at baseline and at three and twelve months post intervention.

The following items will be assessed:◦ Body mass index (height and weight)◦ Dietary behaviors and physical activity◦ Social norms◦ Social support for eating and activity habits◦ Level of program involvement◦ Peer facilitators‘ effectiveness◦ Demographics

Sex, Age, Grade, Race, Socioeconomic Status

Designed to meet critical community needs for adolescent obesity prevention

Engaging higher education institutes and students and fostering within them an ethic of civic responsibility.