Initiating Policy, Systems, and Environmental Changes for Childhood Obesity Prevention by Engaging Six Faith-Based Organizations

Abstract

Little is known about how to engage faith-organizations, especially churches, when using policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change approaches for prevention. This article documents the PSE changes implemented by engaging 6 faith organizations, with an estimated reach of 3500 members, for 18 months. Timeline (n = 6), focus group (n = 6), report (n = 18), and observational meeting (n = 16) and event (n = 5) summaries were analyzed using content analysis. Early changes were usually environmental changes. Mid and later changes focused on policy and systems change. Churches structured for process and outcome accountability and person-centered accountability can accomplish PSE changes.

A systematic review of components of community-based organisation engagement

“…The majority of studies ( n = 13) in this review were case studies. The remaining studies included quantitative design (Bloom et al., ; Chandra et al., ; Geist, ; Glik et al., ; Goytia et al., ; Patterson et al., ); qualitative design (Boutain & McNees, ; Burkhalter et al., ; Collignon, Men, & Tan, ; Honeycutt et al., ; Johnson et al., ; Radermacher, Karunarathna, Grace, & Feldman, ; Taras et al., ); systematic review (Frew et al., ); and mixed‐method design (Houston et al., ; Kakietek et al., ; Kelaher et al., ; Laborde, Brannock, Breland‐Noble, & Parrish, ; Riehman et al., ).…”

“…All the quantitative and qualitative studies scored 8 and above with the CASP tools. Two qualitative studies met all the CASP tool's criteria (Boutain & McNees, ; Taras et al., ). The other qualitative studies lost points for the absence of data analysis process and study limitations (Collignon et al., ; Honeycutt et al., ; Johnson et al., ; Radermacher et al., ).…”

“…Most studies agree that partnership dynamics are facilitated when CBOs are involved throughout the duration of the research project as opposed to one point (Geist, ; Kelaher et al., ; Napoles et al., ; Singer et al., ). A CBO can contribute to a partnership through several ways that include: planning, recruitment, developing instruments, data collection, data analysis and interpretation, dissemination of findings, intervention development and providing recommendations (Bloom et al., ; Boutain & McNees, ; Chaskin et al., ; Honeycutt et al., ; Houston et al., ). Depending on the proposed project, one or more of these levels will be more appropriate.…”

“…For example, a CBO that served abused Latina women engaged in a partnership that led to the development of a workplace intervention that increased the access and use of intimate partner violence (IPV) services that were culturally appropriate and incorporated into daily routines (Bloom et al., ). Other reported benefits to target communities were: removal of soda/vending machines, increase in colorectal cancer screening, creation of jobs, availability of HIV/AIDS prevention services, reduced HIV risk behaviours, stress management for Latina women with breast cancer and reduction in air pollution (Boutain & McNees, ; Caldwell et al., ; Kakietek et al., ; Kelaher et al., ; LoConte et al., ; Napoles et al., ; Riehman et al., ).…”

“…The majority of studies (n = 13) in this review were case studies. The remaining studies included quantitative design (Bloom et al, 2009;Chandra et al, 2013;Geist, 2010;Glik et al, 2014;Goytia et al, 2013;Patterson et al, 2011); qualitative design (Boutain & McNees, 2013;Burkhalter et al, 2013;Collignon, Men, & Tan, 2001;Honeycutt et al, 2015;Johnson et al, 2006;Radermacher, Karunarathna, Grace, & Feldman, 2011;Taras et al, 2015); systematic review (Frew et al, 2014); and mixed-method design (Houston et al, 2002;Kakietek et al, 2013;Kelaher et al, 2014 High variability was found during critical appraisal of case studies, with scores ranging from 1 to 10 (Akintobi et al, 2012;Caldwell et al, 2015;Chaskin, Goerge, Skyles, & Guiltinan, 2006;Darling et al, 2015;LoConte, Weeth-Feinstein, Conlon, & Scott, 2013;McFarlane, Kahili, & Johnson, 2014;Napoles et al, 2014;Panapasa et al, 2012;Singer et al, 2015). Five studies met all the criteria (Chaskin et al, 2006;Darling et al, 2015;Gainforth, Latimer-Cheung, Moore, Athanasopoulos, & Martin Ginis, 2015;Jewett-Tennant et al, 2016;Woodruff et al, 2016).…”