Advancing oral health policy and advocacy to prevent childhood obesity and reduce children's consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.

Purpose: While a large body of work documents the interconnections between oral health and obesity, less is known about the role that oral health professionals and organizations play to prevent childhood obesity, especially by influencing children's consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). This review identifies efforts by oral health professionals and organizations to influence such policy and advocacy, while informing future opportunities to leverage and expand on existing efforts.

Methods: A scoping review of peer-reviewed literature and a web-based review of oral health policy and advocacy initiatives addressing prevention of obesity and reducing children's consumption of SSBs were conducted.

Integrating racially and ethnically diverse communities into planning for disasters: the California experience.

Objectives: Racially/ethnically diverse communities suffer a disproportionate burden of adverse outcomes before, during and after a disaster. Using California as a locus of study, we sought to identify challenges and barriers to meeting the preparedness needs of these communities and highlight promising strategies, gaps in programs, and future priorities.

Methods: We conducted a literature review, environmental scan of organizational Web sites providing preparedness materials for diverse communities, and key informant interviews with public health and emergency management professionals.

Health reform holds both risks and rewards for safety-net providers and racially and ethnically diverse patients.

The Affordable Care Act of 2010 creates both opportunities and risks for safety-net providers in caring for low-income, diverse patients. New funding for health centers; support for coordinated, patient-centered care; and expansion of the primary care workforce are some of the opportunities that potentially strengthen the safety net. However, declining payments to safety-net hospitals, existing financial hardships, and shifts in the health care marketplace may intensify competition, thwart the ability to innovate, and endanger the financial viability of safety-net providers.

No change in weight-based teasing when school-based obesity policies are implemented.

Objectives: To examine rates of weight-based teasing before initiation of school-based childhood obesity prevention policies (Arkansas Act 1220 of 2003) and during the 2 years following policy implementation, as well as demographic factors related to weight-based teasing.

Design: Analysis of consecutive random cross-sectional statewide telephone surveys conducted annually across 3 years.

Setting: Sample representative of Arkansas public school students with stratification by geographic region, school level (elementary, middle, and high school), and school size (small, medium, and large).

Impact of a smoke-free hospital campus policy on employee and consumer behavior.

Objective: Although smoke-free hospital campuses can provide a strong health message and protect patients, they are few in number due to employee retention and public relations concerns. We evaluated the effects of implementing a clean air policy on employee attitudes, recruitment, and retention; hospital utilization; and consumer satisfaction in 2003 through 2005.

Methods: We conducted research at a university hospital campus with supplemental data from an affiliated hospital campus.

Preparing racially and ethnically diverse communities for public health emergencies.

The tragedy of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans confirmed that effective implementation of public health preparedness programs and policies will require compliance from all racial and ethnic populations. This study reviews current resources and limitations and suggests future directions for integrating diverse communities into related strategies. It documents research and interventions, including promising models and practices that address preparedness for minorities.