Linda H. Southward

Child Health in Child Care: A Multi-state Survey of Head Start and Non–Head Start Child Care Directors

INTRODUCTION Directors of Head Start (HS) and non-Head Start (non-HS) child care centers were surveyed to compare health consultation and screening for and prevalence of health risks among enrolled children. METHODS Directors of licensed centers from five states were surveyed from 2004 to 2005. Data were analyzed using cross-tabulation and logistic regression techniques. RESULTS A total of 2753 surveys were completed. HS centers were more likely than non-HS centers to consult health professionals (P < .0001). More than 90% of HS centers screened for health problems compared with 64.9% of non-HS centers (P < .0001). Almost all HS centers provided parents with child health information. Children at HS centers were at high risk for dental problems. Less than 3% of HS center directors, versus 11.3% of non-HS directors (P < .0002), reported TV viewing for more than an hour a day. DISCUSSION Children in HS centers were more likely to receive health consultations and screenings, were at higher risk for dental problems, and watched less TV compared with children in non-HS centers. HS centers promoted health significantly more frequently than did non-HS centers.

Use of paid child care health care consultants in early care and education settings: results of a national study comparing provision of health screening services among Head Start and non-Head Start centers.

INTRODUCTION Child care health consultants (CCHCs) are health professionals who provide consultation and referral services to child care programs. The use of CCHCs has been recommended as an important component of high-quality child care. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential association between the use of paid CCHCs and child care center director reports of (a) center maintenance of health records and emergency procedures and (b) center facilitation of health screenings and assessments. METHOD A national, randomized telephone survey of directors of 1822 licensed child care center directors was conducted. RESULTS With a response rate of 93%, most directors (72.7%) reported that they did not employ a CCHC. However, directors employing CCHCs were more likely to report provision of health-promoting screenings and assessments for children in their center. This pattern held true for both Head Start and non-Head Start centers. DISCUSSION This study suggests that CCHCs can serve as health promotion advocates in early care and education settings, helping centers establish appropriate policies and arranging for health assessments and screenings for children.

Impact of Mississippi healthy students act of 2007 on district- and school-level health policies: school officials' perspectives

BACKGROUND Annual evaluations of the Mississippi Healthy Students Act of 2007 (MHSA) were conducted during 2009-2011 (years 1-3) among 4 stakeholder groups: (1) parents of public school students, (2) adolescents, (3) state-level policymakers (ie, legislators and other state officials), and (4) public school officials (ie, superintendents and school board members). METHODS We examine results from the first state-wide surveys conducted among purposive samples of superintendents (N = 314) and school board members (N = 689) on childhood obesity as it related to MHSA. These school officials were surveyed in years 1-3 to determine their knowledge or attitudes toward MHSA and support of potential policies, such as reporting results of student body mass index (BMI) assessments to parents. RESULTS Through the 3 years of the study, school officials were supportive of MHSA across a number of variables, although superintendents were consistently more supportive of current policies as compared with school board members. CONCLUSIONS Results underscore the current and potential role of school officials relative to the process of fully implementing MHSA within all public school districts in Mississippi. Implications and 3 cases that illustrate diverse ways that school districts have chosen to implement effective school-based health initiatives are discussed.

Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Among Child Care Center Directors in 2008 and 2016

A national telephone survey of child care center directors demonstrates low levels of preparedness for pandemic influenza despite available resources. BACKGROUND: Children in child care centers represent an important population to consider in attempts to mitigate the spread of an influenza pandemic. This national survey, conducted in 2008 and 2016, assessed directors’ reports of their child care centers’ pandemic influenza preparation before and after the 2009 H1N1 novel influenza pandemic. METHODS: This was a telephone-based survey of child care center directors randomly selected from a national database of licensed US child care centers who were queried about their preparedness for pandemic influenza. We grouped conceptually related items in 6 domains into indexes: general infection control, communication, seasonal influenza control, use of health consultants, quality of child care, and perceived barriers. These indexes, along with other center and director characteristics, were used to predict pandemic influenza preparedness. RESULTS: Among 1500 and 518 child care center directors surveyed in 2008 and 2016, respectively, preparation for pandemic influenza was low and did not improve. Only 7% of directors had taken concrete actions to prepare their centers. Having served as a center director during the 2009 influenza pandemic did not influence preparedness. After adjusting for covariates, child care health consultation and years of director’s experience were positively associated with pandemic influenza preparation, whereas experiencing perceived barriers such as lack of knowing what to do in the event of pandemic influenza, was negatively associated with pandemic influenza preparedness. CONCLUSIONS: Pandemic influenza preparedness of child care center’s directors needs to improve. Child care health consultants are likely to be important collaborators in addressing this problem.

Research Partnerships With a Native American Tribe: Creating Opportunities for Appreciation and Understanding

Abstract This article presents an overview of the opportunities and challenges of conducting a comprehensive mental health needs assessment with a Native American population. Special attention will be given to explaining ways to deal effectively with language and cultural differences in planning and implementing a research design. Also discussed are the lessons learned about adapting instruments for more efficient data collection with a culturally diverse research team.