Advancing Health Equity in Community-Based Climate Action: From Concept to Practice.

Despite broad agreement that prioritizing health equity is critical to minimizing the health impacts of climate change, there is a lack of clarity about what advancing health equity means in practice. More than reducing health disparities; it also implies engaging and empowering marginalized communities. We propose a typology of health equity processes, focused on building community agency and power, and then apply it to a nonrepresentative, purposive sample of 48 community-based climate actions (CBCAs) selected from lists of projects funded by foundations and state climate programs and from other sources. All CBCAs were in the United States, community-based, active since 2015 or more recently, engaged in climate mitigation or adaptation, and stated health equity aims. Two team members reviewed project reports to assess the engagement of vulnerable and marginalized populations, agency-building, and transformation of community power relationships. Although 33 CBCAs reported efforts to build community agency, only 19 reported efforts to increase community power. City-led CBCAs showed less emphasis on agency-building and power transformation. This typology can support efforts to advance health equity by providing concrete indicators to diagnose gaps and track progress. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(2):185-193. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307143).

Strategies for Effective Collaboration with Middle School Physical Education Teachers: An Application of School-Engaged Research.

BACKGROUND: Increasing the capacity of teachers to deliver physical education (PE) lessons that are high in moderate to vigorous physical activity (PA) is one strategy to increase the amount of exercise students receive during school. However, traditional research approaches have not directly engaged the school community as equitable partners in the intervention design process. The purpose of this article is to describe the process, outputs, and lessons learned from a school-engaged research study, which incorporates the unique needs of schools-in terms of structure, accountability measures, and array of stakeholders into the research process and design. METHODS: This article describes lessons learned from Project SHAPE, a PA intervention that used principles of school-engaged research to guide program planning, recruitment, implementation, and data dissemination. RESULTS: The study team successfully partnered with 16 schools and enrolled 55 teachers and surveyed 4,773 students. CONCLUSIONS: Efforts to improve PE programs can benefit from a school-engaged research approach that directly involves teachers, fosters mutually beneficial relationships, and integrates the schools' perspective in the research process.

Evaluation of an Intervention to Increase Physical Activity in Low-Income, Urban Middle Schools.

BACKGROUND: Physical education (PE) can provide opportunities to engage in daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), but MVPA levels in many classes are low. This study examines MVPA during middle school PE lessons before and after receiving the SPARK (Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids) program. METHODS: Sixteen schools were enrolled in the study. PE teachers at eight schools received the intervention. PE lessons at all schools (N = 561) were observed over 2 years. Hierarchical linear regression models examined the effect of the intervention on the amount and consistency of MVPA and sedentary behavior. RESULTS: An average of 13.7% of observed class time was spent in MVPA (approximately 5 minutes of a 60-minute class), compared to 27.5% of time spent sedentary. There was no evidence that the curriculum resulted in increased MVPA or consistent MVPA, or that it decreased sedentary behavior. Findings also suggested that contextual factors may contribute to physical activity levels in PE. CONCLUSIONS: Mixed evaluation findings of the SPARK middle school curriculum demonstrate that an out-of-the-box curriculum does not have the same results in all contexts. Implications for school health are described based upon findings. Further research is needed to identify effective strategies to increase MVPA for adolescents both in and outside of PE.

Making Strides Toward Health Equity: The Experiences of Public Health Departments.

OBJECTIVES: We explored the definition of health equity being used by public health departments and the extent of engagement of public health departments in activities to improve health equity, as well as facilitators and barriers to this work. DESIGN: We conducted 25 semistructured qualitative interviews with lead public health officials (n = 20) and their designees (n = 5). All interviews were transcribed and thematically analyzed. SETTING: We conducted interviews with respondents from local public health departments in the United States (April 2017-June 2017). PARTICIPANTS: Respondents were from local or state public health departments that were members of the Big Cities Health Coalition, accredited or both. RESULTS: Many departments were using a definition of health equity that emphasized an equal opportunity to improve health for all, with a special emphasis on socially disadvantaged populations. Improving health equity was a high priority for most departments and targeting the social determinants of health was viewed as the optimal approach for improving health equity. Having the capacity to frame issues of health equity in ways that resonated with sectors outside of public health was seen as a particularly valuable skill for facilitating cross-sector collaborations and promoting work to improve health equity. Barriers to engaging in work to improve health equity included lack of flexible and sustainable funding sources as well as limited training and guidance on how to conduct this type of work. CONCLUSIONS: Work to improve health equity among public health departments can be fostered and strengthened by building capacity among them to do more targeted framing of health equity issues and by providing more flexible and sustained funding sources. In addition, supporting peer networks that will allow for the exchange of resources, ideas, and best practices will likely build capacity among public health departments to effectively do this work.

Health Challenges and Assets of Forest-Dependent Populations in Cameroon.

Indigenous populations often have poorer health outcomes than the general population. Marginalization, colonization, and migration from traditional lands have all affected traditional medicine usage, health access, and indigenous health equity. An in-depth understanding of health for specific populations is essential to develop actionable insights into contributing factors to poor indigenous health. To develop a more complete, nuanced understanding of indigenous health status, we conducted first-person interviews with both the indigenous Baka and neighboring Bantu villagers (the reference population in the region), as well as local clinicians in Southern Cameroon. These interviews elucidated perspectives on the most pressing challenges to health and assets to health for both groups, including access to health services, causes of illness, the uses and values of traditional versus modern medicine, and community resilience during severe health events. Baka interviewees, in particular, reported facing health challenges due to affordability and discrimination in public health centers, health effects due to migration from their traditional lands, and a lack of culturally appropriate public health services.

Health Impact Assessment of Transportation Projects and Policies: Living Up to Aims of Advancing Population Health and Health Equity?

Health impact assessment (HIA) is a forward-looking, evidence-based tool used to inform stakeholders and policy makers about the potential health effects of proposed projects and policies and to identify options for maximizing potential health benefits and minimizing potential harm. This review examines how health equity, a core principle of health impact assessment (HIA), has been operationalized in HIAs conducted in the United States in one sector, transportation. Two perspectives on promoting health equity appear in the broader public health research literature; one aims at reducing disparities in health determinants and outcomes in affected populations, whereas the other focuses on facilitating community participation and self-determination. Variations in how these perspectives are applied in HIA informed our typology of five ways of addressing health equity in HIA. Transportation HIAs commonly included two of these-selecting vulnerable populations for the focus of the HIA and stakeholder engagement, seen in more than 70% of the 96 HIAs reviewed. Fewer than half of the HIAs assessed current health disparities or changes in their distribution. Only 15% of HIAs addressed equity by focusing on capabilities development or empowerment. Routinely assessing and reporting how an HIA aims to address health equity might better manage expectations and could make HIA practitioners and users more conscious of how an HIA can realistically be used to advance health equity.

Physical Activity Correlates in Middle School Adolescents: Perceived Benefits and Barriers and Their Determinants.

The purpose of this study was to examine the determinants of benefits and barriers and their relationship with physical activity (PA) among predominantly Latino middle school students. Data were collected in a cross-sectional survey of 4,773 seventh-grade students recruited from a large, urban school district in Los Angeles. Hierarchical logistic regression models were used to assess determinants of benefits and barriers as well as their association with self-reported PA. Differences in benefits and barriers were observed by gender, ethnicity, and body size. Barriers were negatively correlated with all three PA outcomes while benefits were positively associated with exercising at least 60 min daily. A deeper understanding of benefits and barriers can facilitate the development of interventions and collaborative efforts among physical education teachers, school nurses, and administrators to implement comprehensive approaches that encourage students' participation in PA inside and outside of the classroom.

Correlates of Social Support and its Association With Physical Activity Among Young Adolescents.

BACKGROUND: A substantial proportion of adolescents, particularly girls and minority youth, fail to meet daily physical activity (PA) recommendations. Social support contributes to adolescent PA, but studies examining this relationship have yielded inconsistent results and rarely focus on diverse, urban populations. AIMS: This study examines the correlates of support for PA from family and friends and its relationship with PA outcomes among young adolescents. METHODS: Data were collected in a cross-sectional survey of 4,773 middle school students. Social support from family and friends was separately measured using the Sallis Support for Exercise Scales. Hierarchical logistic regression models were used to assess correlates of high support and the relationship between support and self-reported PA. RESULTS: Approximately one quarter of students reported being active for at least an hour each day. 31.7% of students reported high family support for PA, while 17.8% reported high friend support. Differences in perceptions of support by gender, ethnicity, and language emerged. Support from family and friends were both consistently strong predictors of all three PA outcomes measured. DISCUSSION: Findings highlight the need for multilevel interventions targeting both psychosocial influences on behavior in addition to addressing the physical environment. Given low rates of friend support for PA, there appears to be an opportunity to increase PA levels through promotion of supportive behaviors among peers. CONCLUSION: Support for PA from family and friends is a key contributor to increased PA among adolescents. Further research is needed to further understand the mechanisms by which these factors influence PA.

Consistency of Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity in Middle School Physical Education.

This study assessed the consistency of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in a sample of middle school physical education lessons. Random intercept hierarchical linear regressions were employed to model the relationship between consistency of MVPA and independent variables, including lesson and teacher characteristics. Larger classes spent significantly more time in consistent MVPA in the absence of controlling for teacher characteristics. A significant interaction between class size and teacher experience suggests that experience may play a beneficial role in larger classes, and overall class size does not have to be a barrier to achieving high levels of MVPA.

Impacts of Urban Water Conservation Strategies on Energy, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and Health: Southern California as a Case Study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine how urban water conservation strategies in California cities can affect water and energy conservation efforts, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and benefit public health. METHODS: We expanded upon our 2014 health impact assessment of California's urban water conservation strategies by comparing the status quo to 2 options with the greatest potential impact on the interrelated issues of water and energy in California: (1) banning landscape irrigation and (2) expanding alternative water sources (e.g., desalination, recycled water). RESULTS: Among the water conservation strategies evaluated, expanded use of recycled water stood out as the water conservation strategy with potential to reduce water use, energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions, with relatively small negative impacts for the public's health. CONCLUSIONS: Although the suitability of recycled water for urban uses depends on local climate, geography, current infrastructure, and finances, analyses similar to that presented here can help guide water policy decisions in cities across the globe facing challenges of supplying clean, sustainable water to urban populations.

Physical education and student activity: evaluating implementation of a new policy in Los Angeles public schools.

BACKGROUND: California law has standards for physical education (PE) instruction in K-12 public schools; audits found that the Los Angeles Unified School District did not enforce the standards. In 2009, the district adopted a PE policy to comply with these standards. PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of the PE policy in district schools. METHODS: PE class observations were conducted using the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time in the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 school years in an income-stratified random sample of 34 elementary, middle, and high schools to assess changes in PE class size, class duration, and time students spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity. RESULTS: PE class duration increased in high-income elementary schools. Mean class size decreased in low-income middle schools. CONCLUSIONS: There was limited implementation of the PE policy 2 years after passage. Opportunities exist to continue monitoring and improving PE quantity and quality.

Implementing organizational physical activity and healthy eating strategies on paid time: process evaluation of the UCLA WORKING pilot study.

Integrating organizationally targeted wellness strategies into the routine conduct of business has shown promise in engaging captive audiences at highest risk of obesity and obesity-related health consequences. This paper presents a process evaluation of the implementation of the University of California, Los Angeles, Working Out Regularly Keeps Individuals Nurtured and Going (WORKING) pilot study. WORKING focuses on integrating physical activity and nutrition practices into workplace routine during non-discretionary paid work time. The purpose of the evaluation was to assess the quality of implementation and to understand factors that facilitated or hindered organizations' full uptake of the intervention. Fifteen worksites were randomly assigned to an intervention condition. Qualitative data were gathered through routine site visits and informant interviews conducted throughout each worksite's intervention period. Worksites were classified into one of four implementation success categories based on their level of adoption and maintenance of core intervention strategies. Six key factors emerged that were related to implementation success: site layout and social climate, wellness infrastructure, number and influence of Program Champions, leadership involvement, site innovation and creativity. This pilot study has informed the conduct of WORKING II; a cluster randomized controlled trial aimed at enrolling 60-70 worksites in Los Angeles County.

A graphical, computer-based decision-support tool to help decision makers evaluate policy options relating to physical activity.

This pilot study builds on efforts to develop evaluation methods to compare and contrast potential strategies designed to increase population physical activity generally, and to reduce disparities in activity levels more specifically. The study presents a user-friendly, semi-quantitative decision-support tool of intermediate complexity that may better enable quick, flexible first-pass "ballpark" decision making by state and local health agencies instead of traditional evidence-based scientific reviews. The tool produces a summary score from ratings on 18 criteria, adjusted by fixed or variable weights to incorporate salient community contextual factors. Stair use, workplace activity breaks, and school construction siting are presented as samples. This first iteration of the decision-support tool is intended to be refined empirically by the experiences and policy outcomes of agencies adopting the innovation. This decision-support tool may expand the capacity of public health practitioners to conduct first-pass assessments of policy options for physical activity promotion in underserved communities.

Clustering of unhealthy outdoor advertisements around child-serving institutions: a comparison of three cities.

Using GPS devices and digital cameras, we surveyed outdoor advertisements in Austin, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. GIS and hot spot analysis revealed that unhealthy ads were clustered around child-serving institutions in Los Angeles and Philadelphia but not in Austin. Multivariate generalized least square (GLS) regression models showed that percent black (p<0.04) was a significant positive predictor of clustering in Philadelphia and percent white (p<0.06) was a marginally significant negative predictor of clustering in Los Angeles after controlling for several land use variables. The results emphasize the importance of zoning and land use regulations to protect children from exposure to unhealthy commercial messages, particularly in neighborhoods with significant racial/ethnic minority populations.

A cross-sectional prevalence study of ethnically targeted and general audience outdoor obesity-related advertising.

CONTEXT: Commercial marketing is a critical but understudied element of the sociocultural environment influencing Americans' food and beverage preferences and purchases. This marketing also likely influences the utilization of goods and services related to physical activity and sedentary behavior. A growing literature documents the targeting of racial/ethnic and income groups in commercial advertisements in magazines, on billboards, and on television that may contribute to sociodemographic disparities in obesity and chronic disease risk and protective behaviors. This article examines whether African Americans, Latinos, and people living in low-income neighborhoods are disproportionately exposed to advertisements for high-calorie, low nutrient-dense foods and beverages and for sedentary entertainment and transportation and are relatively underexposed to advertising for nutritious foods and beverages and goods and services promoting physical activities. METHODS: Outdoor advertising density and content were compared in zip code areas selected to offer contrasts by area income and ethnicity in four cities: Los Angeles, Austin, New York City, and Philadelphia. FINDINGS: Large variations were observed in the amount, type, and value of advertising in the selected zip code areas. Living in an upper-income neighborhood, regardless of its residents' predominant ethnicity, is generally protective against exposure to most types of obesity-promoting outdoor advertising (food, fast food, sugary beverages, sedentary entertainment, and transportation). The density of advertising varied by zip code area race/ethnicity, with African American zip code areas having the highest advertising densities, Latino zip code areas having slightly lower densities, and white zip code areas having the lowest densities. CONCLUSIONS: The potential health and economic implications of differential exposure to obesity-related advertising are substantial. Although substantive legal questions remain about the government's ability to regulate advertising, the success of limiting tobacco advertising offers lessons for reducing the marketing contribution to the obesigenicity of urban environments.

Use of health impact assessment in the U.S.: 27 case studies, 1999-2007.

OBJECTIVES: To document the growing use in the United States of health impact assessment (HIA) methods to help planners and others consider the health consequences of their decisions. METHODS: Using multiple search strategies, 27 HIAs were identified that were completed in the U.S. during 1999-2007. Key characteristics of each HIA were abstracted from published and unpublished sources. RESULTS: Topics examined in these HIAs ranged from policies about living wages and after-school programs to projects about power plants and public transit. Most HIAs were funded by local health departments, foundations, or federal agencies. Concerns about health disparities were especially important in HIAs on housing, urban redevelopment, home energy subsidies, and wage policy. The use of quantitative and nonquantitative methods varied among HIAs. Most HIAs presented recommendations for policy or project changes to improve health. Impacts of the HIAs were infrequently documented. CONCLUSIONS: These completed HIAs are useful for helping conduct future HIAs and for training public health officials and others about HIAs. More work is needed to document the impact of HIAs and thereby increase their value in decision-making processes.

Health impact assessment: a tool to help policy makers understand health beyond health care.

Health impact assessment (HIA)--a combination of methods to examine formally the potential health effects of a proposed policy, program, or project--has received considerable interest over the past decade internationally as a practical mechanism for collaborating with other sectors to address the environmental determinants of health and to achieve more effectively the goals of population health promotion. Demand for HIA in the United States seems to be growing. This review outlines the common principles and methodologies of HIA and compares different approaches to HIA. Lessons learned from the related field of environmental impact assessment and from experience with HIA in other countries are examined. Possible avenues for advancing both the field and the broader goals of population health promotion are outlined.

Growing the field of health impact assessment in the United States: an agenda for research and practice.

Health impact assessment (HIA) methods are used to evaluate the impact on health of policies and projects in community design, transportation planning, and other areas outside traditional public health concerns. At an October 2004 workshop, domestic and international experts explored issues associated with advancing the use of HIA methods by local health departments, planning commissions, and other decisionmakers in the United States. Workshop participants recommended conducting pilot tests of existing HIA tools, developing a database of health impacts of common projects and policies, developing resources for HIA use, building workforce capacity to conduct HIAs, and evaluating HIAs. HIA methods can influence decisionmakers to adjust policies and projects to maximize benefits and minimize harm to the public's health.