"Positive deviants": a qualitative study of physically active adults in rural environments.

Rural residents, particularly those in the South, are less physically active than their urban counterparts and often live in areas with limited walkability (e.g., no sidewalks) and minimal access to recreational facilities.

Linking agents' activities and communication patterns in a study of the dissemination of an effective skin cancer prevention program.

Background: Linking agents connect program developers with end users, enhancing implementation and sustainability of health promotion programs. However, little is known about how linkage systems work in practice and research settings.

Objective: This article describes the activities and communication patterns of field coordinators in a 4-year, national study of the dissemination of an effective skin cancer prevention program.

Can summits lead to curricula change? An evaluation of emergency preparedness summits for schools of nursing in Georgia.

The Emory University Center for Public Health Preparedness held two summits for nurses that were evaluated by survey. Participants cited multiple deficiencies and challenges with integrating emergency preparedness into nursing curricula. The summits and the related materials were reported as highly useful by survey respondents.

Logic model use in developing a survey instrument for program evaluation: emergency preparedness summits for schools of nursing in Georgia.

The objective of this paper is to describe a method for using a logic model to guide program evaluation by detailing the steps used, providing diagrams that visually depict the process, and giving an example based on the evaluation of emergency preparedness nursing summits in Georgia. Developing a logic model is an ideal way to visually depict the inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes of a program, thus providing a clear framework of the workings and functions of the program. In planning a comprehensive evaluation, being able to view all the elements in a program and how they interrelate makes it easier to determine the areas that should be addressed.