Public Health Support for Weight-Related Practices in Child Care Settings in Minnesota.

Objective: Childhood obesity experts have identified licensed child care providers as a focus for prevention efforts. Since 2011, local public health agencies in Minnesota have provided training and support to child care providers to assist in implementation of weight-related policies and practices as part of Minnesota's Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP).

Method: A representative sample of licensed child care centers and family home providers in Minnesota participated in a 2016 survey of policies and practices on child nutrition, infant feeding, and physical activity ( n = 618, response rate = 38.

Seeking information about HIV/AIDS: a qualitative study of health literacy among people living with HIV/AIDS in a low prevalence context.

People living with HIV/AIDS in rural and low HIV prevalence areas face a number of challenges including stigma, limited access to specialized medical care, lack of an HIV/AIDS specialist and fear which may interfere with their ability to find and use information to manage their health. With a large number of HIV cases located in non-metropolitan and rural areas in the US, more research is needed to better understand the health seeking behaviors of individuals living in this context. This study examined how 16 individuals living with HIV sought out information to meet their health needs.

Exploring power and sexual decision making among young Latinos residing in rural communities.

Background: Studies of relationship power and sexual decision making related to contraceptive and condom use among Latinos in the United States are limited. This exploratory study provides insight into relationship power and reproductive decision making among a sample of young Latinos (n = 58) who live in rural communities in the Northwest.

Methods: Using mixed methods approaches, we explored through in-depth interviews how Latino men and women define power, what makes them feel powerful, who has power, and who makes reproductive decisions within their sexual relationships.

Prevention of unintended pregnancy and HIV/STIs among Latinos in rural communities: perspectives of health care providers.

Latino women in the United States are disproportionately at risk for unintended pregnancy, HIV, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We conducted nine focus groups with health care practitioners who provide reproductive health care to Latinos in rural areas of the Northwest. From the practitioner perspective, we explored barriers and facilitators to the acquisition and use of contraceptives and to the prevention of HIV/STIs among rural Latinos.

Reaching young men: lessons learned in the recruitment, training, and utilization of male peer sexual health educators.

The need to involve men in family planning and reproductive health services has gained increased recognition by health organizations and practitioners as an important strategy for reducing persistently high rates of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies. Peer education is one popular approach that has been shown to be effective in promoting healthy sexual behaviors as well as increasing sexual health knowledge, attitudes, and skills among young people. Although the efficacy of peer education programs is related to the recruitment, selection, and training of instructors, little information on these topics has been shared.

Condom use: exploring verbal and non-verbal communication strategies among Latino and African American men and women.

A growing body of literature provides evidence of a link between communication with sexual partners and safer sexual practices, including condom use. More research is needed that explores the dynamics of condom communication including gender differences in initiation, and types of communication strategies. The overall objective of this study was to explore condom use and the dynamics surrounding condom communication in two distinct community-based samples of African American and Latino heterosexual couples at increased risk for HIV.

Experiences of stigma and discrimination among adults living with HIV in a low HIV-prevalence context: a qualitative analysis.

Little is known about how people living with HIV in low prevalence contexts face the challenges of stigma and discrimination. Low prevalence and rural communities are unique environments in which HIV-related stigma and discrimination may be intensified due to lower tolerance of differences among people and greater fear of HIV. This study examined the experiences of 16 individuals living with HIV who reside in a predominantly rural area with low HIV prevalence.

Collaborative initiatives: where the rubber meets the road in community partnerships.

Amajor challenge facing a community partnership is the implementation of its collaborative initiatives. This article examines the progress Community Care Networks (CCNs) made in implementing their initiatives and factors that helped or hindered their progress. Study findings suggest that partnership progress is affected by external market and regulatory factors beyond the control of the partnership, the availability of local community resources to support efforts, the scope and intensity of tasks associated with an initiative, expansion of the partnership to include new members, and the balance of work between partners and paid partnership staff.

Members' perceptions of community care network partnerships' effectiveness.

Investment in voluntary partnerships raises important questions: Should we invest in collaboration in moving toward the goals of health system redesign? What makes collaborative groups effective? Given the voluntary nature of these partnerships, membership perceptions of their experiences and the partnership's effectiveness should be important predictors of success. This article provides a preliminary analyses of perceived effectiveness of participants' perceptions of their own partnership, particularly focusing on leadership, conflict management, decision-making dynamics, and the breadth and depth of partnership membership. Members' perceptions that the partnership membership was "sufficiently broad to accomplish objectives" had a negative and highly significant relationship to perceived effectiveness.

Using theories of action to guide national program evaluation and local strategy in the community care network demonstration.

Evaluations of multisite community-based projects are notoriously difficult to conceptualize and conduct. Projects may share an overarching vision but operate in varying contexts and pursue different initiatives. One tool that can assist evaluators facing these challenges is to develop a "theory of action" (TOA) that identifies critical assumptions regarding how a program expects to achieve its goals.

Evaluating partnerships for community health improvement: tracking the footprints.

Private-public partnerships are increasingly seen as an important mechanism for improving community health. Despite their popularity, traditional evaluations of these efforts have produced negative or mixed results. This is often attributed to weak interventions or an insufficient period of time to observe an impact.