Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The Latino Nutrition and Chronic Disease Prevention Project aimed to prepare faculty and students for careers supporting USDA's strategic Nutrition and Health goals through community-sensitive education, community based participatory research (CBPR), academic advising, experiential learning, and establishment of a permanent Latino Nutrition and Chronic Disease Prevention course. Curricula Development: Course offerings were enhanced by the development and institutionalization of the three unit Latino Nutrition and Chronic Disease Prevention Course. It was approved by the Health Science and Family and Consumer Sciences faculties and first taught in Spring 2011 satisfying objective 1. Faculty Preparation: To prepare faculty/lecturers to teach the course, one 8-hour training was held June in 2011 and attended by nine faculty/lecturers, satisfying objective 2. Objective 3 was also accomplished through implementation of two 8-hour academic/career advisement trainings June 2010 and March 2011 attended by 11 faculty/lecturers. Topics: student and higher education programs, and culturally relevant advising and counseling. Student Experiential Learning and Services: Objectives 4 and 5 were met by recruiting 12 undergraduate and 2 graduate first generation-educated Latino students to receive experiential learning, career guidance, and mentoring. Six students were selected for cohort, and 8 students for cohort 2. Students participated in: (1) 4-hour orientation; (8) 4-hour trainings; and regular meetings. Students attended professional conferences including: the MANRRS 25th Annual Career Conferences, the American Diabetes Association Conference, the AHRQ Health Services Research/Health Disparities Workshop, Long Beach Research Symposiums, and the American Public Health Association Conferences. Students received CBPR training, and conducted recruitment and health education to 191 Latina WIC recipients. Students collected questionnaire data and implemented case management with participants. Objective 6 was met by providing more than 100 high school students with information about academic and career opportunities in the nutrition and health sciences through CSULB events. Project staff and students engaged in two outreach activities: 1) orientation for approximately 60 high school students at CSULB, and 2) Students conducted presentations at Millikan High School with 187 students. Students learned about careers in the field of nutrition, family and consumer sciences, and health science. They also received information about financial aid, requirements for different majors, and academic guidance. Evaluation and Dissemination: Objective 7 was fulfilled by sequential monitoring, process and outcome evaluation. Nine presentations were conducted at local and national conferences including the Long Beach Research Symposiums (2), American Public Health Association Conferences (3), International Food and Nutrition Conference (1), AHRQ Health Services Research and Health Disparities Workshop (1), and the National Disparities Conference (2). PARTICIPANTS: Staff Co-Principal Investigators Drs. Britt Rios-Ellis and Gail Frank oversaw the direction and implementation of the project. Both investigators developed the Latino Nutrition and Chronic Disease Prevention course and oversaw the application and approval process through the College of Health and Human Services. Co-PI's planned and implemented the faculty course and advisement trainings as well as the student trainings to conduct community based participatory research. Further, the Co-PI's designed and oversaw the intervention implementation with the WIC recipients, and worked with the evaluator to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. The project was evaluated by Dr. Selena Nguyen-Rodriguez, she assisted with instrument development, analysis of demographic and pre and post knowledge data collected from participants, and evaluation for dissemination and reporting purposes. Melawhy Garcia-Vega served as the project coordinator and organized project meetings, and student and faculty trainings. Ms. Garcia-Vega also collaborated on the planning and implementation of participant recruitment and the intervention implementation. Lastly, she worked with staff to maintain student and participant databases and documentation. Maria Victoria Rojas was added to the project team as the graphic artist to assist with the development of project materials including intervention curriculum and recruitment instruments. Center administrative assistants occasionally were paid based on their contribution to the project. Collaborations The project was a collaborative effort between the CSULB, Foundation grants management staff, The NCLR/CSULB Center, and the Health Science and Family and Consumer Science Departments housed under the College of Health and Human Services. Further, faculty from the Social Work, Psychology, and Education Departments, along with staff from the Educational Opportunity Program and Counseling Services also participated in the project through faculty trainings. Moreover, the project received in-kind support from various Long Beach organizations and community groups including: The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, by allowing for participant recruitment at five Long Beach WIC clinics. St. Mary's Medical Center, Long Beach Alliance for Children with Asthma, Community Partners Council, and the Cambodian Association also allowed for announcement and recruitment at community meetings. Lastly, project staff collaborated with Millikan High School, part of the Long Beach Unified School District in order to conduct the high school student orientations. Trainings Trainings were conducted with CSULB faculty, lecturers, staff to provide them the skills of culturally relevant counseling and course instruction. Undergraduate students received extensive training in community based participatory research, community based intervention strategies, motivational interviewing, Latino culture and health, importance of breastfeeding, maternal health, infant feeding and nutrition, institutional review board protocols for research, data analysis and the importance of evaluation. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences included: 1) 16 faculty, lecturers, and CSULB counseling and advisement staff to receive course instruction and culturally relevant counseling and advisement training; 2) 14 first generation-educated Latino undergraduate students from Health and Family and Consumer Sciences and other research related disciplines to take part in the student experiential learning component; and 3) 180 low-income pregnant Latina adult women receiving services from the city of Long Beach Women, Infants, and Children program to take part in the education intervention. Institutional Efforts included 1) curricula design and materials development through the development of a 3 unit Latino Nutrition and Chronic Disease Prevention Course, bilingual educational curriculum and data collection instruments for community childhood obesity prevention intervention, and materials for student development and training; 2) faculty preparation and enhancement for teaching through a competence based course instruction training and an 8 hour culturally relevant counseling and advisement training; and 3) Student Experiential Learning through student involvement in community based participatory research, academic advisement, mentoring and travel opportunities. Community level efforts included the outreach, enrollment, health education, and case management of 191 Latina WIC moms in a science based educational intervention to reduce childhood obesity. Evaluation efforts were also conducted throughout the duration of the project to assess faculty trainings, student experiential opportunities, and community intervention. Lastly, various presentations and posters were develop to disseminate the project design, findings, and best practices at local and national conferences. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Institutional outcomes include the establishment/institutionalization of the Latino Nutrition and Chronic Disease Prevention course,available to all students eligible at CSULB, and 2) the student experiential internship including two scholarships. This allowed for the involvement of 14 students in course instruction, academic advising, and mentoring. Students received training in community research as preparation for graduate programs, public health and nutrition-related careers. Assessments noted students' increased knowledge regarding community-based research, motivational interviewing; increased confidence in public speaking and presenting/networking at local and national conferences; increased pursuit of careers in public health, food and nutrition; and continued education with Masters' degrees. Students received information regarding scholarships, other learning opportunities, and program application assistance from project staff. 247 high school students received academic and/or career advice in the fields of nutrition/health science and reported increased knowledge and interest, thus working effectively along the career pipeline to encourage first generation-educated Latinos to consider public health and nutrition. More than 150 were Latino students. Eleven faculty/lecturers and staff have received training to learn about how they can facilitate student connection with the Dietetic Internship, Ronal E. McNair's Scholars, and Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Program, as well as student research programs including the Research Infrastructure for Minority Institutions. They also learned about opportunities and services for culturally relevant advising of Latino students in different career tracks at CSULB were consistently discussed. Nine faculty/lecturers received training/preparation to teach the Latino Nutrition course; training included a course overview, information regarding Latino nutrition and chronic disease risk, current research, and culturally-relevant programs, and participated in mock lectures. At the community level, student health educators educated 191 WIC participants (Goal: 180), using motivational interviewing and case management techniques through a 5-session intervention. The contents include: prenatal care, breastfeeding, infant nutrition, and the importance of physical activity. After engaging in the intervention, participants reported higher levels of confidence in proper infant feeding nutrition, and increased ability to serve as positive role models for physical activity. Significant findings include increases in knowledge in the overall intervention t(192) = -3.23, p < .001, diet during pregnancy t(191)=-8.61, P<.000, breastfeeding t(176)= -8.42, p<.000, baby nutrition t(177)= -6.33, p<.000, physical activity t(169)= -8.55, p<.000, recreational activities t(169) = 2.79, p<.006, and allergies t(134) =2.68, p<.008. SCHEs were resources and provided participants education as well as referral information to community programs. Community partnerships were also established. The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services supported the project efforts by allowing recruitment at four WIC clinics in Long Beach.
Publications
- Garcia, M. (2010). Comienzo Sano: Familia Saludable Student Experiential Learning Opportunities in Childhood Obesity Prevention. Invited presentations Students Active in Community Health, California State University Long Beach, CA Rios-Ellis, B., Frank, G., & Garcia, M. (2010). Comienzo Sano: Familia Saludable Community Based health education program to reduce risk of chronic diseases via nutrition education in the Latino Community. American Public Health Association, 138th Annual Meeting and Exposition, Denver, CO. Abstract and oral presentation.
- Villarruel, M., Rios-Ellis, B., & Garcia, M. (2010). Comienzo Sano: Familia Saludable Community Based Intervention Program to Reduce Obesity in Latino Families. American College of Epidemiology Annual Meeting, Minority Affairs Committee Workshop: Health Services Research and Health Disparities. Abstract and poster presentation.
- Villarruel, M., Rios-Ellis, B., Frank, G. & Garcia-Vega, M. (2011). Multidisciplinary project to prevent childhood obesity while promoting student experiential learning. 5th Annual Conference on Health Disparities. Abstract and poster presentation.
- Bonilla, E., Rios-Ellis, B., Frank, G., Garcia-Vega, M., & Ortega, E. (2011) Comienzo Sano: Familia Saludable, Healthy Start: Healthy Family. 5th Annual Conference on Health Disparities. Abstract and poster presentation.
- Frank, G.C., Rios-Ellis, B., Rascon, M., & Garcia-Vega, M. (2011). Instruction in College Curriculum for Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention. Long Beach Research Symposium. Abstract and poster presentation.
- Rios-Ellis, B., Garcia-Vega, M., Nguyen-Rodriguez, S., Rascon, M., Smallwood, N. (2011). Comienzo Sano: Creating University and Public Partnerships to Promote Latina Maternal Child Health. American Public Health Association, 139th Annual Meeting and Exposition, Washington, DC. Abstract and poster presentation.
- Garcia-Vega, M., Rios-Ellis, B., Rascon, M., Nguyen-Rodriguez, S., (2011). Latino Nutrition and Chronic Disease Prevention: Multidisciplinary program to Enhance Teaching, Research, and Opportunities for Underrepresented Students. American Public Health Association, 139th Annual Meeting and Exposition, Washington, DC. Abstract and oral presentation.
- Garcia-Vega, M., Rios-Ellis, B., Frank, G.C., & Ortega, E. (2011). Latino Nutrition and Chronic Disease Prevention: Multidisciplinary Program to Enhance Experiential Learning for Students to Address Childhood Obesity. International Food and Nutrition Conference, Tuskeege, AL. Abstract and oral presentation.
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