The cross-sectional associations between clinical variables and biomechanics platform measures of balance (sway) were determined in a random sample of 50 aged single women living in high rise apartment buildings. A history of falling in the previous year was associated with increased areas of sway. Increased body mass was associated with decreased velocity of sway. Poor near, but not far, visual acuity was associated with increased areas of sway. A postural drop of 10 mmHg or more in diastolic pressure was associated with increased velocity of sway. The associations between these variables and the balance measures persisted after adjustment for age and each other to adjust for potential confounding. Slower hand reaction times and poor hearing were associated with increased areas of sway, but these associations were removed after adjustment for age and near visual acuity. There were no associations between any of the balance measures and postural changes in systolic pressure and heart rate. There were no associations between balance measures and base of support. The observed associations, if causal, can aid in development and testing of effective interventions to improve balance and prevent falls in the elderly.

Performance on the clinical mobility index developed by Tinetti (9) was compared with biomechanics platform measures of sway and videotaped measures of gait in a sample of 43 community-dwelling aged women. Area measures of sway, but not velocity, were associated with performance on the mobility index. When standing on one leg with eyes open, the correlation coefficients for radial area per second with the mobility indices ranged from -0.59 to -0.64 (p less than .001). Knee range of motion and stride length correlated with performance on the mobility index. Knee range of motion correlation coefficients ranged from 0.47 to 0.54 (p less than .001), whereas the range was 0.62 to 0.68 (p less than .001) for stride length. These data demonstrate that biomechanics platform measures of sway and videotaped measures of gait are associated with subject performance on a clinical mobility index and may themselves also be predictive of persons susceptible to falling.

Over the past several decades, there has been an increased focus on health promotion as opposed to individual health determinants and disease prevention. Given the association between health and academic success, health promotion is a vastly overlooked lever for establishing effective K-12 schools. Student, organizational, and community well-being are intricately linked, and thus, focusing on any one of these alone will not eliminate achievement gaps and health disparities. We assert that university-community collaboration is instrumental in promoting student and family well-being. Moreover, employing an ecological systems lens to inform partnership and health promotion practices facilitates collective action and magnifies results. In this article, we describe the philosophical and theoretical orientations that guide our teaching, service, and scholarship. We explain how a university undergraduate course that utilizes service-learning has leveraged theory to build university-community collaboration. Using illustrative examples of several service-learning projects, we show how an ecological systems orientation has enhanced the course; supported a systemic approach to health promotion in schools and communities; and facilitated strategic, mutual, and sustained partnerships. We conclude by highlighting the implications of an ecological approach to university-community collaboration, including organizational capacity building, implementation of evidence-based practices, and the need to enhance preservice teacher education.

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