School administrators' perceptions of factors that influence children's active travel to school.

Background: Increasing children's active travel to school may be 1 strategy for addressing the growing prevalence of obesity among school age children. Using the School Travel Survey, we examined South Carolina school district leaders' perceptions of factors that influence elementary and middle school students walking to school.

Methods: Frequency distributions and chi-square tests were used to analyze the survey responses; open-ended questions were reviewed qualitatively for recurring topics and themes.

Examination of trends and evidence-based elements in state physical education legislation: a content analysis.

Objectives: To develop a comprehensive inventory of state physical education (PE) legislation, examine trends in bill introduction, and compare bill factors.

Methods: State PE legislation from January 2001 to July 2007 was identified using a legislative database. Analysis included components of evidence-based school PE from the Community Guide and other authoritative sources: minutes in PE, PE activity, teacher certification, and an environmental element, including facilities and equipment.

Active travel to school: policies and attitudes of school and district leaders.

Background: When promoting active travel to school, it is important to consider school and district policies as well as attitudes of school and district administrators.

Methods: School principals and district officials in South Carolina participated in the School Travel Survey. Frequency distributions and Chi-squared tests were used to analyze the data.

Effects of the built environment on physical activity of adults living in rural settings.

Objective: To conduct a systematic review of the literature to examine the influence of the built environment (BE) on the physical activity (PA) of adults in rural settings.

Data Source: Key word searches of Academic Search Premier, PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Sport Discus were conducted.

Study Inclusion And Exclusion Criteria: Studies published prior to June 2008 were included if they assessed one or more elements of the BE, examined relationships between the BE and PA, and focused on rural locales.

Pedestrian activity among California adults.

Background: The objectives of this study were to assess (1) pedestrian activity levels among adults, (2) where and why adults engage in pedestrian activity, and (3) what adults consider when deciding where to engage in pedestrian activity.

Methods: Pedestrian activity was assessed in 12,036 California adults, >or=18 years, using a random digit-dial telephone survey.

Results: Significant differences were identified by race, sex, age, and physical activity level in the type, location, and purpose of pedestrian activities.

Environmental and policy approaches for promoting physical activity in the United States: a research agenda.

Background: Environmental and policy approaches are promising strategies to raise population-wide rates of physical activity; yet, little attention has been paid to the development and prioritization of a research agenda on these topics that will have relevance for both researchers and practitioners.

Methods: Using input from hundreds of researchers and practitioners, a research agenda was developed for promoting physical activity through environmental and policy interventions. Concept mapping was used to develop the agenda.

Policy influences on community trail development.

This study explores processes and policies that facilitate the development of community trails. With funding from Active Living Research and the research framework of the Physical Activity Policy Research Network (PAPRN), we conducted a multiple-site case study. A total of six trails in Hawaii, Massachusetts, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Washington were chosen for study.

Food store types, availability, and cost of foods in a rural environment.

Objective: To characterize the built nutritional environment in terms of types and number of food stores, availability, and cost of selected food items in a rural area.

Design: A cross-sectional survey of food stores conducted in 2004.

Subjects/setting: We selected a rural county (population 91,582; 1,106 square miles).

Policies related to active transport to and from school: a multisite case study.

Active transportation to and from school (ATS) is a viable strategy to help increase physical activity among youth. ATS can be challenging because initiatives require transdisciplinary collaboration, are influenced by the built environment and are affected by numerous policies. The purpose of this study is to identify policies and factors that influence ATS initiatives.

The Prevention Research Centers Healthy Aging Research Network.

Background: The Prevention Research Centers Healthy Aging Research Network (PRC-HAN), funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Healthy Aging program, was created in 2001 to help develop partnerships and create a research agenda that promotes healthy aging. The nine universities that participate in the network use their expertise in aging research to collaborate with their communities and other partners to develop and implement health promotion interventions for older adults at the individual, organizational, environmental, and policy levels.

Context: The population of older adults in the United States is growing rapidly; approximately 20% of Americans will be aged 65 years or older by 2030.

Prevention Research Centers: contributions to updating the public health workforce through training.

Because public health is a continually evolving field, it is essential to provide ample training opportunities for public health professionals. As a natural outgrowth of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Prevention Research Centers Program, training courses of many types have been developed for public health practitioners working in the field. This article describes three of the Prevention Research Center training program offerings: Evidence-Based Public Health, Physical Activity and Public Health for Practitioners, and Social Marketing.

Policy and environmental indicators for heart disease and stroke prevention: data sources in two states.

Introduction: Investigators in South Carolina and Alabama assessed the availability of data for measuring 31 policy and environmental indicators for heart disease and stroke prevention. The indicators were intended to determine policy and environmental support for adopting heart disease and stroke prevention guidelines and selected risk factors in 4 settings: community, school, work site, and health care.

Methods: Research teams used literature searches and key informant interviews to explore the availability of data sources for each indicator.

Utility of pedometers for assessing physical activity: construct validity.

Valid assessment of physical activity is necessary to fully understand this important health-related behaviour for research, surveillance, intervention and evaluation purposes. This article is the second in a companion set exploring the validity of pedometer-assessed physical activity. The previous article published in Sports Medicine dealt with convergent validity (i.

Process mapping as a tool for home health network analysis.

Process mapping is a qualitative tool that allows service providers, policy makers, researchers, and other concerned stakeholders to get a "bird's eye view" of a home health care organizational network or a very focused, in-depth view of a component of such a network. It can be used to share knowledge about community resources directed at the older population, identify gaps in resource availability and access, and promote on-going collaborative interactions that encourage systemic policy reassessment and programmatic refinement. This article is a methodological description of process mapping, which explores its utility as a practice and research tool, illustrates its use in describing service-providing networks, and discusses some of the issues that are key to successfully using this methodology.

Utility of pedometers for assessing physical activity: convergent validity.

Valid assessment of physical activity is important to researchers and practitioners interested in surveillance, screening, programme evaluation and intervention. The validity of an assessment instrument is commonly considered its most important attribute. Convergent validity is the extent to which an instrument's output is associated with that of other instruments intended to measure the same exposure of interest.

Factors affecting reproductive decisions of African American women living with HIV.

Purpose: This exploratory study used focus groups to examine attitudes and beliefs of HIV-infected African American women of child-bearing age about pregnancy and antiretroviral therapy.

Methods: A convenience sample of thirty-three African American women of child-bearing age participated in five focus groups. Attitudes and beliefs about pregnancy decisions and the use of antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy were examined.

Attitudes toward antiretroviral therapy among African American women.

Objective: To examine attitudes and beliefs of African American women of childbearing age, living with HIV, about pregnancy and antiretroviral therapy.

Methods: Focus groups were conducted using an exploratory design with a convenience sample of HIV-infected women in 2 southeastern cities.

Results: Thirty-three African American women of childbearing age participated in 5 focus groups.