Context Matters: A Community-Based Study of Urban Minority Parents’ Views on Child Health

Background: Among children, there are substantial ethno-racial minority disparities across a broad range of health-related behaviors, experiences, and outcomes. Addressing these disparities is important, as childhood and adolescence establish health trajectories that extend throughout life. Methods: The current study employed a community-based participatory research approach to gain community insight on child health priorities and to frame an intervention aimed at improving the health of minority children. Eight focus groups were conducted among seventy-five African American parents in a Southeastern city. The current study was guided by an ecological theoretical framework. Results: Although the focus of this investigation was on community identification of child health priorities, participants cited, as root determinants, contextual factors, which included lack of healthy food options, lack of spaces for physical activity, and community violence. These co-occurring factors were related to limited engagement in outdoor activities and physical activity, increased obesity, and poor mental health and coping. Poor parenting was cited as the most substantial barrier to improving child health outcomes, and quality parenting was identified as the most important issue to address for community programs focused on promoting the health and success of children. For improving health outcomes for children in their neighborhoods, establishment of positive social capital and constructive activities were also cited. Conclusions: These results reinforce social determinants of health as influences on child health outcomes and describe how community engagement can address potential solutions through interventions that resonate with program participants

Utilization of a Community-based Participatory Approach to Design and Implement a Peer-led Parenting Pilot Intervention to Influence Child Nutritional and Physical Activity Behaviors

Parents and primary child guardians within the household play critical roles in shaping their children’s nutritional and physical activity behaviors, which are among the individual-level determinants of childhood obesity and other chronic conditions. There are well-established correlations between race, socioeconomic status and the risk for obesity calling for both contextually- and individual-centered interventions that are community-driven. The Using Quality Parenting (UQP) pilot intervention was a peer-led, parenting education intervention developed in collaboration with community residents in Atlanta, Georgia to influence child nutritional and physical activity behaviors in African American low socioeconomic status communities. A community-based participatory research (CBPR) framework was used to conduct a mixed-methods needs assessment designed to the UQP curriculum. The UQP program targeted parents of children ages 6-14. The overarching aim was to increase quality parenting and address community identified child obesity disparities and inequities in early and middle childhood. The topics pertaining to parenting to children’s health/well-being addressed by the UQP included nutrition, physical activity, socio-emotional development, positive parenting, coping skills, child advocacy, and community development. Analyses were conducted using PSAW 18 statistical software. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies, means, standard deviations, and ranges for the individual survey items were conducted. A t-test was performed comparing pre- and post-program participation. A repeated measure analysis of variance was conducted on the items that demonstrated a significant t-test. The analytic sample was composed of 46 African American parents, with over 50% of the sample earning an annual household income of $25,000 or less. Participating parents reported significantly higher levels of water consumption for their children post-program in comparison to pre-test reports (p = .010). Additionally, based on t-test analyses, parents reported that their children consumed significantly higher levels of proteins, grains, fruits and vegetables at each meal, post-program (p=0.03). These findings highlight the potential efficacy of community-informed, parent-led interventions in improving health disparities and related outcomes for children

Improving Health Outcomes of Children through Effective Parenting: Model and Methods

This article reports on the design, development, testing and presentation of preliminary evidence of a translational, culturally relevant parenting education model, titled Smart and Secured Children (SSC). SSC, a quality parenting curriculum, prepares disparate African American parents as leaders for transforming their parenting behaviors and leading their peers and community in changing existing parenting culture. The article recommends expanded utility of identified promising processes, approaches and practices to engage African American parents to lead in addressing health inequity conditions in their families and communities. It adds to the growing scientific literature on the association between parent–child relationship quality and a wide variety of children physical, emotional and social outcomes. SSC applied principles of developmental theories; community based participatory research (CBPR), and iterative Delphi method between the community stakeholders, parents and researchers. The delivery approach of SSC was revamped from professional-led to parent-led content presentation and delivery methods using a conversational learning approach, referred to as ‘conversepedia’. Parents’ leadership development training and delivery of this curriculum in social supportive groups improved their mental wellbeing, parenting capacity and leadership skills. Parents do matter and can choose positive influence in their lives and are capable of reversing negative peer influence