Lawless, Helen Ann
(2019)
Collective action models for chronic disease prevention: an evaluation of live well Allegheny.
Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
Purpose: The research presented will evaluate the impact of the Allegheny County Health Department’s (ACHD) Live Well Allegheny (LWA) initiative, a chronic disease prevention effort that engages participants through collective action. Results from a process evaluation will be interpreted and potential improvements to the campaign will be explored.
Background: Three health behaviors (tobacco use, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition) contribute to four chronic diseases, which together account for approximately 50% of premature deaths worldwide (Taylor, 2009). This is known as the 3-4-50 model, which greatly informs the structure of LWA. LWA engages participants in prevention strategies targeted at the three health behaviors to help them achieve their goals. The ultimate goal of the initiative is to for Allegheny County to become the healthiest county in the nation.
Methods: A mixed-methods process evaluation was employed to assess participant engagement, participant knowledge, and the perceived strengths and barriers to achieving the goals set forth by LWA as well as the perceived facilitators. Ten qualitative interviews were conducted with LWA staff members and participants. Additionally, a survey was utilized, and a content analysis was conducted on participant’s commitments to the campaign and referral form requests. Finally, maps of demographic data were created to describe whether or not the campaign reaches areas of most need in the county.
Results: The data suggests a need for a more rigorous monitoring system to track participant’s progress on campaign goals. Participants echoed in qualitative interviews that the campaign constantly reminded them to put health at the forefront of their work but were concerned the general public did not understand the campaign. Data from the content analyses suggests collaboration between participants could help improve overall campaign success. County maps indicated key areas where campaign efforts could be directed in the future.
Implications and Potential Use for Findings: As public health funding decreases, it is imperative that local public health entities, like the ACHD, to tackle chronic disease locally. Proposed improvements informed by this evaluation will help advance the initiative’s goal of achieving the “healthiest county” status and reducing chronic disease burden, a significant priority for public health professionals.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
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| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
20 June 2019 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
15 April 2019 |
| Approval Date: |
20 June 2019 |
| Submission Date: |
3 April 2019 |
| Access Restriction: |
No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately. |
| Number of Pages: |
99 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Public Health > Behavioral and Community Health Sciences |
| Degree: |
MPH - Master of Public Health |
| Thesis Type: |
Master's Thesis |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Chronic Disease Prevention |
| Date Deposited: |
20 Jun 2019 16:21 |
| Last Modified: |
20 Jun 2019 16:21 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/36268 |
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