Evaluation of a community immunization outreach program--Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

CONTEXT: Every year the Philadelphia Department of Public Health selects roughly 5000 10-month olds not up-to-date (UTD) for their 6-month vaccinations for a community-based outreach program. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outreach program's effectiveness from 2008 to 2012. DESIGN: Outreach children from 2008 to 2012 were compared with children not selected for outreach on UTD rates and median UTD age in a retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania PARTICIPANTS: : 10- to 15-month olds from targeted Philadelphia ZIP codes. INTERVENTION: Outreach workers investigated immunization status, educated families on the importance of timely immunizations, and assisted patients in securing health care services to bring children UTD on their 6-month vaccinations. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcomes included UTD status for recommended vaccinations due by 6, 15, and 18 months and median age at which 15- and 18-month vaccinations were completed for outreach versus nonoutreach children. RESULTS: Outreach children had significantly higher UTD rates for 6-month vaccinations than nonoutreach children. Outreach children also had significantly higher UTD rates for 15- and 18-month vaccinations, and therefore the effect of outreach is lasting. From 2008 to 2012, median UTD ages for 15- and 18-month vaccinations were significantly lower for outreach than for nonoutreach children. CONCLUSIONS: Outreach was effective in increasing immunization UTD rates and is a useful tool for improving childhood immunization rates in urban settings.

Evaluation of the complex dynamic modulus of asphaltic concretes manufactured with construction and demolition waste (CDW) aggregates.

Currently, there is an overexploitation of natural resources worldwide due to the need to build various types of civil engineering infrastructure, such as buildings, bridges, housing and, in particular, roads. A large number of countries, including Mexico, additionally do not apply adequate treatment to the material resulting from the demolition of this type of work. Both situations generate significant environmental damage and contribute to the non-sustainability of the road construction sector. This research assesses the linear viscoelastic (LVE2) behavior of asphalt concrete specimens made with different combinations of mineral aggregate and construction and demolition waste (CDW). Complex dynamic modulus tests were performed in compression on cylindrical samples at different temperatures and frequency loading. The ANOVA analysis of test results indicate that the stiffness of the different asphalt concretes evaluated, represented by the complex dynamic modulus, tends to decrease with the temperature and increase with load frequency, which are typical of materials with viscous characteristics. The stiffness of the asphalt concrete evaluated does not show significant changes as the CDW aggregate content varies.

Using a Toolbox of tailored educational lessons to improve fruit, vegetable, and physical activity behaviors among African American women in California.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the effectiveness of the Fruit, Vegetable, and Physical Activity Toolbox for Community Educators (Toolbox), an intervention originally designed for Spanish- and English-speaking audiences, in changing knowledge, attitudes, and behavior among low-income African American women. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental design with treatment and control groups. SETTING: Four community-based organizations and direct health service provider sites. PARTICIPANTS: African American women ages 18-54 (156 treatment, 171 control), 75% of whom were low income. INTERVENTION: Six 1-hour Toolbox classes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, empowerment, and behavior change related to fruits and vegetables and physical activity. ANALYSIS: Dependent t tests pre- to posttest and chi-square test between control and treatment groups. RESULTS: Women in the treatment group reported significant changes in 9 measures of attitude, compared to 1 measure in the control group, as well as 12 measures of confidence and 5 measures of empowerment for which the control group showed no changes. Compared to those in the control group, women in the treatment group were also more likely to make behavioral changes to meet recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Toolbox lessons were effective in increasing participants' knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, empowerment, and reported fruit and vegetable- and physical activity-related behaviors.