Moya L. Alfonso

Police-Reporting Behavior and Victim-Police Interactions as Described by Women in a Domestic Violence Shelter

Previous research has addressed the motivations of domestic violence victims to contact police and police responses to domestic violence calls. In a study of 498 women who entered a battered womens shelter, a questionnaire was used to elicit types of abuse they experienced, police contact, and police-victim interactions. Approximately 58% of victims called the police in response to physical, emotional, and other forms of domestic abuse; however, less than one fourth of the batterers were arrested. Batterers who physically abused their victims or used other forms of abuse such as sexual abuse or stalking were more frequently arrested compared to those batterers who used emotional abuse. The women arrested for domestic violence felt that they had acted in self-defense. These results suggest that the police response to domestic violence is variable and the majority of batterers, regardless of type of abuse, may not be receiving any legal or therapeutic intervention.

Promoting Physical Activity Among Youth Through Community‐Based Prevention Marketing

BACKGROUND Community-based prevention marketing (CBPM) is a program planning framework that blends community-organizing principles with a social marketing mind-set to design, implement, and evaluate public health interventions. A community coalition used CBPM to create a physical activity promotion program for tweens (youth 9-13 years of age) called VERB Summer Scorecard. Based on the national VERB media campaign, the program offered opportunities for tweens to try new types of physical activity during the summer months. METHODS The VERB Summer Scorecard was implemented and monitored between 2004 and 2007 using the 9-step CBPM framework. Program performance was assessed through in-depth interviews and a school-based survey of youth. RESULTS The CBPM process and principles used by school and community personnel to promote physical activity among tweens are presented. Observed declines may become less steep if school officials adopt a marketing mind-set to encourage youth physical activity: deemphasizing health benefits but promoting activity as something fun that fosters spending time with friends while trying and mastering new skills. CONCLUSIONS Community-based programs can augment and provide continuity to school-based prevention programs to increase physical activity among tweens.

self-injury among early adolescents

Abstract Background: Whereas much attention has been focused on adolescent risk behaviors such as substance use, much less has been devoted to self-injury in the general adolescent population. Purpose: This study had two purposes: (1) describe the prevalence of self-injury among early adolescents in the general middle school population, and (2) identify behaviors that are comorbid with self-injury. Methods: This study involved a secondary analysis of data gathered from 1,734 6th and 8th grade students using the middle school Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Results: The prevalence of self-injury among middle school youth in this study (N=1734) was 28.4%. Although the relationship between having ever tried self-injury and gender was significant, the effect size was small. Multilevel logistic regression identified six variables that were significantly related to (P < 0.01) having ever tried self-injury: peer self-injury, having ever tried inhalants, grade level, and belief in possibilities, abnormal eating behaviors and suicide. Discussion: This is the first study to empirically examine self-injury in relation to multiple risk behaviors within a community sample of early adolescents with the goal of informing school-based prevention efforts. Translation to Health Education Practice: School personnel can be observant for evidence of self-injury as well as other risk behaviors and be vigilant about experiences that may be contributing to their development.

Assessing local capacity for health intervention

Because of their location within the practice realm, participatory, community-based public health coalitions offer many lessons about implementing and sustaining local interventions. This paper presents a case study of capacity assessment at the local level. Capacity evaluation methods are presented, with emphasis on the theoretical framework used to guide the evaluation. The capacity evaluation framework presented herein was theoretically based and designed to generate practical information to facilitate the adoption of a locally tailored youth obesity prevention program, VERB Summer Scorecard (VSS). Using multiple methods, four aspects of community capacity were assessed, including community, knowledge and skills, resources, and power. Within each category, factors that facilitated or impeded program implementation were distinguished. The evaluation protocol was designed to generate information increasing community capacity to sustain a community-based obesity prevention program. Capacity tables were used as a program-planning tool and as a system for sharing implementation and sustainability requirements with potential adopters. This case study also explores how to use capacity assessment results to empower coalitions to serve as catalysts for development of local programs in other communities.

Increasing Physical Activity in Children 8 to 12 Years Old: Experiences with Verb™ Summer Scorecard:

Interventions which facilitate physical activity of youth are vital for promoting community health and reducing obesity. This study assessed the results of a community-driven program, VERB™ Summer Scorecard, as knowledge of exposure to and awareness of community-based interventions for physical activity among youth could inform design and implementation of such interventions. A total of 2,215 youth ages 8 to 12 years responded to a survey about physical activity. Ordinal logistic regression suggested that youth who participated in this program were 1.73 times (95%CI = 1.41, 2.11) more likely to report high physical activity than nonparticipating youth 9 mo. after the interventions first full-scale application. The program appeared to appeal more to girls than boys. Such results are encouraging for use in communities.

A Social Marketing Approach to Increasing Breast Cancer Screening Rates

Abstract This study used a social marketing approach to identify factors that influence womens breast cancer screening behaviors and to guide the development of strategies to increase breast cancer screening utilization rates among underserved women in Florida. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to gather data regarding womens perceptions of breast cancer screening, frequency of mammography use, screening motivations and barriers, and recommendations for screening promotion. Thirteen percent of women surveyed had never had a mammogram, whereas 26% were irregular users and 51 % were regular users of mammography. Factors significantly associated with mammography use included frequency of clinical breast examinations, insurance coverage, physician referral, knowledge of American Cancer Society recommendations for annual screening, and misperceptions of the potential for mammography usage to cause cancer. Results were used to develop a comprehensive social marketing plan that would motivate irregular users of breast cancer screening services, specifically underserved women 40 years of age and older, to be screened annually. The plan included recommendations for increasing physician referrals, modifying service delivery, developing client education materials, creating a public information campaign, and initiating public policy efforts to address financial barriers to mammography use.

Being a Black Man: Development of the Masculinity Inventory Scale (MIS) for Black Men

This article describes how a culturally sensitive masculinity scale was developed for Black men using qualitative data. Data came from in-depth interviews (N = 13) and focus groups (n = 4) with 46 undergraduate Black males at two universities (Historically Black College and University and Predominately White Institution) in the Southeastern United States. The resulting Masculinity Inventory Scale (MIS) items were developed using direct quotes from the data. The scale was completed by 164 participants as one part of a self-administered survey. Factor analysis showed that five subscales of masculinity exist for Black men: Mainstream society, Black masculinity, Primary group, Mainstream society/Black masculinity, and Primary/peer group. Implications for future research in the area of masculinity and Black men are discussed.

Training Youth to Conduct Focus Groups and Interviews

Training youth to conduct focus groups and interviews Danielle C. Landis a b , Moya Alfonso c d , Sonja E. Ziegler e , Jill Christy f , Karen Abrenica g & Kelli McCormack Brown h a Program Director for the Florida Prevention Research Center, Tampa, FL b Doctoral candidate in the Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida c Graduate Assistant for the Florida Prevention Research Center d Research Assistant and graduate student in the Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida e Supervisor of Education and Prevention Services with the Family Counseling Center, Sarasota, FL f Graduate Assistant with the Florida Prevention Research Center g Program Assistant for the Florida Prevention Research Center h Associate Professor in the Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida