Public Health Education and Promotion Commons^™

Issues Encountered By Parents In Continuing School-Based Obesity Prevention Programs At Home, Prenu Skaria

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood obesity is a public health problem that can lead to various chronic health diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes later in life. School-based obesity prevention programs are a public health recommendation to reduce and prevent obesity in schools through increased physical activity and better nutritional habits. This qualitative research involved exploring the reason for the discontinuation of school-based interventions at home using multi-theory model (MTM) constructs for health behavior change. A convenience sample of three focus groups of consenting parents whose children participated in the Wolf Pack Coaches Challenge (WPCC), a school-based obesity prevention program in Nevada, was …

Smart Homes For Smart Health: Developing An Interactive System To Reduce In-Home Secondhand Smoke, Christie Kika, Janice Han, Vincent Berardi

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Smoke from any source is potentially harmful because it contains fine particulate matter that is associated with acute and chronic conditions. Second-hand smoke (SHS) is particularly unsafe for children due to biological characteristics (higher breathing rates, immature lungs and underdeveloped immune systems) that make it difficult to filter toxins.To address this concern, we recently completed Project Fresh Air (PFA), an NIH-funded R01 intervention that installed air particle sensors in the households of tobacco smokers who lived with children. The purpose of our research is to investigate and develop efficient smart home devices that monitor SHS in various living spaces to …

Exposure To Hiv Prevention Messages On Social Media And Behavior Change Intent, Yoshika Shajuan Eason

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African Americans living in the Southeastern region of the United States disproportionately contract sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Facebook and other social media sites are becoming a way to deliver health-related messaging to targeted populations. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional study was to examine the association between selected demographic factors and impact of social media on intent to change sexual behaviors among 112 African Americans between the ages of 18 and 49 in the Southeastern United States who viewed STI/HIV prevention materials on Facebook within 1 year prior to the study. The theory of planned …

Older Black Women’S Experiences Initiating And Maintaining Physical Activity: Implications For Theory And Practice, Anna Greer, Beau Greer, Ash Tucker

Anna E. Greer

Using a semi-structured discussion guide, 15 interviews were conducted with physically active, older, Black women living in the Eastern U.S. to examine what contributed to participants’ physical activity initiation and maintenance. Thematic analysis organized content. Constant comparison methods compared themes between participants. Participants initiated physical activity when a cue to action, such as weight gain or a medical issue, triggered a perceived need to exercise. When participants initiated physical activity, they experienced immediate unexpected benefits, such as improved energy. Participants reported continuing activity because of these initial benefits. After continued physical activity over time, participants experienced the health benefits they …

Quit4baby: Results From A Pilot Test Of A Mobile Smoking Cessation Program For Pregnant Women, Lorien C. Abroms, Judy M. Van Alstyne, Christina L. Heminger, Leah E. Leavitt, Jennifer M. Schindler-Ruwisch

GW Research Days 2015

Background: Text messaging programs have been shown to be effective in helping adult smokers quit smoking. This study describes the results of a pilot test of Quit4baby, a smoking cessation text messaging program for pregnant smokers that was adapted from Text2quit.

Objective: The study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility and acceptability of Quit4baby for women currently enrolled in Text4baby, a perinatal health text messaging program.

Methods: Pregnant women enrolled in Text4baby and who were current smokers or had quit within the last 4 weeks (N=20) were enrolled in Quit4baby. Those under age 18, not pregnant, not current smokers, …

College Student Perceptions On Campus Alcohol Policies And Consumption Patterns, Brenda L. Marshall, Katherine J. Roberts, Joseph Donnelly, Imani N. Rutledge

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Environmental strategies for colleges and universities to reduce alcohol consumption among their students include the development and enforcement of campus alcohol policies. This study examines students' knowledge and attitudes toward campus alcohol policies and how they relate to alcohol consumption and alcohol social norms. A sample of 422 freshman students was surveyed during their first month at a 4-year public college. Findings indicated that the majority of students (89%) were aware of campus policies, yet of those who were aware, less than half (44%) were accepting of these campus rules and regulations. In addition, the majority (79%) of students drank …