Social services utilization and need among a community sample of persons living with HIV in the rural south.

HIV prevalence has increased faster in the southern USA than in other areas, and persons living with HIV (PLWHIV) in the south are often rural, impoverished, or otherwise under-resourced. Studies of urban PLWHIV and those receiving medical care suggest that use of social services can enhance quality of life and some medical outcomes, but little is known about patterns of social service utilization and need among rural southern PLWHIV. The AIDS Alabama needs assessment survey, conducted in 2007, sampled a diverse community cohort of 476 adult PLWHIV representative of the HIV-positive population in Alabama (66% male, 76% Black, and 26% less than high school education).

Public health professionals as policy entrepreneurs: Arkansas's childhood obesity policy experience.

In response to a nationwide rise in obesity, several states have passed legislation to improve school health environments. Among these was Arkansas's Act 1220 of 2003, the most comprehensive school-based childhood obesity legislation at that time. We used the Multiple Streams Framework to analyze factors that brought childhood obesity to the forefront of the Arkansas legislative agenda and resulted in the passage of Act 1220.

Changes in school environments with implementation of Arkansas Act 1220 of 2003.

Changes in school nutrition and physical activity policies and environments are important to combat childhood obesity. Arkansas Act 1220 of 2003 was among the first and most comprehensive statewide legislative initiatives to combat childhood obesity through school-based change. Annual surveys of principals and superintendents have been analyzed to document substantial and important changes in school environments, policies, and practices.