Evelyn Whitmer

Building a Successful Community Coalition–University Partnership at the Arizona–Sonora Border

Purpose: The purpose of the case study is to explore a successful community–university partnership through community-based participatory action and to examine the partnership’s ability to make policy changes toward improving health behaviors. Background: Diabetes mortality at the U.S.–Mexico Border is twice the national average. Poor health care access is also a concern. These factors prompted Douglas community members to form a community coalition and invite university participation. Historical Overview: Douglas coalition members and University of Arizona (UA) partners worked together to improve chronic disease prevention and control in Douglas, Arizona, by engaging programmatic and policy activities and working with the local schools and government. Coalition/Partnership Effectiveness, Strengths, and Weaknesses: Data were collected from multiple sources, including key informant interviews, the Wilder Collaboration Factors Inventory, and annual evaluations to document effectiveness, strengths, and weaknesses. Conclusion: A successful community coalition–university partnership is the result of long-term collaboration, equal participation, and acknowledgement that policy work takes time. The Douglas partnership, through policy, has effected local health behavior changes.

Need for Specific Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Lessons for Fourth- and Fifth-Graders

OBJECTIVE Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) is linked to obesity. The authors hypothesized that school-based nutrition education would decrease SSB consumption. DESIGN Self-selected interventional cohort with random selection for pre and post measurements. SETTING Arizona Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education Program-eligible schools. PARTICIPANTS Randomly selected (9%) fourth- and fifth-grade classroom students. INTERVENTION The University of Arizona Nutrition Network provided general nutrition education training and materials to teachers, to be delivered to their students. The University of Arizona Nutrition Network administered behavioral questionnaires to students in both fall and spring. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Change in SSB consumption. ANALYSES Descriptive statistics were computed for student demographics and beverage consumption on the day before testing. Paired t tests evaluated change in classroom averages. Linear regression assessed potential correlates of SSB consumption. RESULTS Fall mean SSB consumption was 1.1 (± 0.2) times; mean milk and water intake were 1.6 (± 0.2) and 5.2 (± 0.7) times, respectively. Beverage consumption increased (3.2%) in springtime, with increased SSBs (14.4%) accounting for the majority (P = .006). Change in SSB consumption was negatively associated with baseline SSB and water consumption but positively associated with baseline milk fat (P ≤ .05). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The results suggest the need for beverage-specific education to encourage children to consume more healthful beverages in warmer weather.