Developing Built Environment Programs in Local Health Departments: Lessons Learned From a Nationwide Mentoring Program

Rube, Kate; Veatch, Maggie; Huang, Katy; Sacks, Rachel; Lent, Megan; Goldstein, Gail P.; Lee, Karen K.

doi:10.2105/ajph.2013.301863

Cited by 17 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 14 publications

(12 reference statements)

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“…Perhaps, the most obvious reason for our findings is that there is no relationship at all between landscape and ERBs-as least when it comes to this population. Previous work in the field has linked individuals' built environments to a range of behaviors-include health and wellness, physical activity, property values, employment, and wealth [6,[22][23][24][25]27,37,44,50,58,59,76,[83][84][85][86]. However, in the face of the literature to this point, and the findings of this study, it seems more likely that there are issues with the study size, methodology, and landscape granularity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

An Investigation of Links between Environmentally Responsible Behaviors and Built and Natural Features of Landscape in Central New Jersey

Clark

Jordan

2018

Urban Science

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Responses from Central New Jersey residents (n = 290) to nine survey items about pro-environmental behaviors were analyzed for their connection to survey respondents’ local built and natural landscape characteristics. These nine survey items were of interest due to their clustering in three groups in earlier dimension reduction analysis. Nine logistic regression models (one for each of these items) were built using a suite of built and natural features of landscape at the municipal level—including land use, population density, and access to parks. The logistic regression models using the landscape variables failed to provide effective explanations of engagement in pro-environmental behavior. In total, only ten landscape feature variables—out of a possible thirty-eight -were used in any of the most effective models. The logistic regression model of proper appliance disposal performed best and could correctly classify responses of whether respondents had disposed of an appliance correctly 84% of the time. The rest of the models were of little use. This suggests that there may not be a connection between these built and natural landscape features and these behaviors, or that the study did not look at location at a level that was granular enough to detect any patterns.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

An Investigation of Links between Environmentally Responsible Behaviors and Built and Natural Features of Landscape in Central New Jersey

Clark

Jordan

2018

Urban Science

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“…Four metropolitan planning organizations are models of how transportation agencies are incorporating public health into transportation planning (23). Systematic efforts to build the capacity of health organizations to engage in such collaboration are scarce, however, with limited attempts to conceptualize the public health role in cross-sector collaboration to increase active transportation (24–26) or explore enhancement of LHDs’ capacity to engage (8,27). Our study provides a starting point for strategic approaches to enhancing such collaborations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Yet LHD officials are less likely than other municipal officials to engage in transportation and land-use decision making (6). Barriers and facilitators to engagement have been studied (6,8–10), but not contributions made by LHDs to these policy processes. Studies indicate the legal basis for and the value of public health engagement in planning and zoning processes (11), but to our knowledge no studies have examined cross-collaboration to promote community physical activity opportunities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies indicate the legal basis for and the value of public health engagement in planning and zoning processes (11), but to our knowledge no studies have examined cross-collaboration to promote community physical activity opportunities. Although planning and zoning have roots in public health, health and transportation is a newer association and largely unexplored (8,12). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Qualitative Exploration of Cross-Sector Perspectives on the Contributions of Local Health Departments in Land-Use and Transportation Policy

et al. 2017

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IntroductionTransportation and land-use policies can affect the physical activity of populations. Local health departments (LHDs) are encouraged to participate in built-environment policy processes, which are outside their traditional expertise. Cross-sector collaborations are needed, yet stakeholders’ perceptions of LHD involvement are not well understood. The objective of this study was to describe the perceived value of LHD participation in transportation and land-use decision making and potential contributions to these processes among stakeholders.MethodsWe analyzed qualitative data from 49 semistructured interviews in 2015. Participants were professionals in 13 US states and 4 disciplines: land-use planning (n = 13), transportation/public works (n = 11), public health (n = 19), and other (municipal administration and bike and pedestrian advocacy [n = 6]). Two analysts conducted directed content analysis.ResultsAll respondents reported that LHDs offer valuable contributions to transportation and land-use policy processes. They identified 7 contributions (interrater agreement 91%): 1) physical activity and health perspective (n = 44), 2) data analysis and assessment (n = 41), 3) partnerships in the community and across sectors (n = 35), 4) public education (n = 27), 5) knowledge of the public health evidence base and best practices (n = 23), 6) resource support (eg, grant writing, technical assistance) (n = 20), and 7) health equity (n = 8).ConclusionLHDs can leverage their strengths to foster cross-sector collaborations that promote physical activity opportunities in communities. Our results will inform development of sustainable capacity-building models for LHD involvement in built-environment decision making.

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“…Emerging public health challenges and epidemiological trends have led LHDs to shift focus from infectious to chronic diseases and from programs to policy, systems, and environmental change ( 9 – 11 ). Innovative methods that build on traditional areas of public health practice are needed to help LHDs develop effective approaches to these new challenges ( 11 , 12 ). For example, environmental interventions, which were essential strategies for controlling infectious disease in the last century, are being adapted to address chronic diseases today ( 12 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Institution-to-Institution Mentoring to Build Capacity in 24 Local US Health Departments: Best Practices and Lessons Learned

Veatch¹,

Goldstein²,

Sacks³

et al. 2014

Prev. Chronic Dis.

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IntroductionInstitutional mentoring may be a useful capacity-building model to support local health departments facing public health challenges. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducted a qualitative evaluation of an institutional mentoring program designed to increase capacity of health departments seeking to address chronic disease prevention. The mentoring program included 2 program models, a one-to-one model and a collaborative model, developed and implemented for 24 Communities Putting Prevention to Work grantee communities nationwide.MethodsWe conducted semi-structured telephone interviews to assess grantees’ perspectives on the effectiveness of the mentoring program in supporting their work. Two interviews were conducted with key informants from each participating community. Three evaluators coded and analyzed data using ATLAS.ti software and using grounded theory to identify emerging themes.ResultsWe completed 90 interviews with 44 mentees. We identified 7 key program strengths: learning from the New York City health department’s experience, adapting resources to local needs, incorporating new approaches and sharing strategies, developing the mentor–mentee relationship, creating momentum for action, establishing regular communication, and encouraging peer interaction.ConclusionParticipants overwhelmingly indicated that the mentoring program’s key strengths improved their capacity to address chronic disease prevention in their communities. We recommend dissemination of the results achieved, emphasizing the need to adapt the institutional mentoring model to local needs to achieve successful outcomes. We also recommend future research to consider whether a hybrid programmatic model that includes regular one-on-one communication and in-person conferences could be used as a standard framework for institutional mentoring.

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Developing Built Environment Programs in Local Health Departments: Lessons Learned From a Nationwide Mentoring Program

Cited by 17 publications

References 14 publications

An Investigation of Links between Environmentally Responsible Behaviors and Built and Natural Features of Landscape in Central New Jersey

An Investigation of Links between Environmentally Responsible Behaviors and Built and Natural Features of Landscape in Central New Jersey

Qualitative Exploration of Cross-Sector Perspectives on the Contributions of Local Health Departments in Land-Use and Transportation Policy

Institution-to-Institution Mentoring to Build Capacity in 24 Local US Health Departments: Best Practices and Lessons Learned

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