Pathways family intervention for third-grade American Indian children.

The goal of the feasibility phase of the Pathways family intervention was to work with families of third-grade American Indian children to reinforce health behaviors being promoted by the curriculum, food service, and physical activity components of this school-based obesity prevention intervention. Family behaviors regarding food choices and physical activity were identified and ranked according to priority by using formative assessment and a literature review of school-based programs that included a family component. The family intervention involved 3 primary strategies designed to create an informed home environment supportive of behavioral change: 1) giving the children "family packs" containing worksheets, interactive assignments, healthful snacks, and low-fat tips and recipes to take home to share with their families; 2) implementing family events at the school to provide a fun atmosphere in which health education concepts could be introduced and reinforced; and 3) forming school-based family advisory councils composed of family members and community volunteers who provided feedback on Pathways strategies, helped negotiate barriers, and explored ideas for continued family participation. For strategy 2, a kick-off Family Fun Night provided a series of learning booths that presented the healthful behaviors taught by Pathways. At an end-of-year Family Celebration, a healthy meal was served, students demonstrated newly learned Pathways activities, and certificates were presented in recognition of completion of the Pathways curriculum. Based on evaluation forms and attendance rosters, strategies 1 and 2 were more easily implemented and better received than strategy 3. Implications for developing family involvement strategies for intervention programs are discussed.

Four Corners Research Consortium for Native Americans and cancer research.

Cancer morbidity and mortality in Native Americans in the Southwestern four-corners region of the United States (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah) is of critical concern to public health workers, health care providers, cancer researchers, and Native American communities of the region. As a follow-up to the national conference in Seattle, Washington, representatives from the Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah Cancer Centers, the AMC Cancer Research Center, and the Indian Health Service participated in a regional conference on September 26, 1995. The primary reason for the "Four Corners Consortium" meeting was to assess cancer research activities in each state and to determine how Native American cancer research could be organized in the four-state region. One interest of the group was to determine strategies to explore why some cancers are more or less prevalent among Southwest Native American populations and to evaluate how the group might jointly establish research that would address the cancer needs of Southwestern tribes.

Diet and activity patterns of male and female co-workers: should worksite health promotion programs assume homogeneity?

Worksite health promotion programs address the health education needs of the average employee. Anthropometric measurements and 24h diet and activity diaries collected from co-workers reveal that lifestyle and subsequently, health education needs of men and women working for the same employer, in the same environment and performing similar tasks, may be different. In this study, males were marginally overweight and obese; females were within recommended limits. Although job related workloads were comparable, females were more active (24hEE/FFM) outside the work place. Females spent more time engaged in moderate weight-bearing domestic activities than did males. These results question the effectiveness of worksite health promotion program which ignore the different health education needs of male and female employees.