Interdisciplinary Academic and Community Partnerships to Promote Child Well-being at School: The Outdoor Classroom

This community-based participatory research (CBPR) project involved academic-community partners working together to design, build, and implement an outdoor classroom at a local elementary school to improve the school environment and foster child health and learning. A two-week pilot period took place prior to implementation and formative research was gathered. The formative research findings revealed that the school partners had initial concerns with the environmental conditions and outdoor classroom space, timing of the program within the school day, and materials in the outdoor classroom. The concerns were reported and addressed. The participating teachers completed a survey and reported satisfaction with the partnership and offered further suggestions for the future. This partnership provides important lessons learned for public health practitioners and applied researchers

University of North Florida Environmental Center Annual Report 2020

2020 Annual Report of the Environmental Center at the University of North Floridahttps://digitalcommons.unf.edu/ecenter_annual/1008/thumbnail.jp

IERE Annual Report 2022

2022 Annual Report of the Institute for Environmental Research and Educationhttps://digitalcommons.unf.edu/ecenter_annual/1009/thumbnail.jp

IERE Annual Report 2023

2023 Annual Report of the Institute for Environmental Research and Educationhttps://digitalcommons.unf.edu/ecenter_annual/1010/thumbnail.jp

University of North Florida Environmental Center Annual Report 2019

2019 Annual Report of the Environmental Center at the University of North Floridahttps://digitalcommons.unf.edu/ecenter_annual/1007/thumbnail.jp

Testing Multi-Theory Model (MTM) In Explaining Sunscreen Use Among Florida Residents: An Integrative Approach for Sun Protection

Florida residents have the second highest incidence of skin cancer in the nation. Sunscreen usage was found to be the one of the most effective integrative health approaches for reducing risk of skin cancer. Given the limited information on the likelihood of adopting and continuing sunscreen usage behavior, this cross-sectional study aimed to examine the correlates of initiating and sustaining sunscreen usage behavior among Florida dwellers, using the fourth-generation, multi-theory model (MTM) of behavior change. A web-based survey containing 51 questions was emailed to Florida residents aged 18 years or above, who were randomly selected from the state voter file. Psychometric validity of the survey instrument was established using structural equation modeling, and Cronbach’s alpha values were calculated for assessing the internal consistency. An independent-samples-t-test and hierarchical multiple regression tests were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that participants who engaged in sunscreen usage behavior, participatory dialogue (β = 0.062, p \u3c 0.05), behavioral confidence (β = 0.636, p \u3c 0.001), and changes in the physical environment (β = 0.210, p \u3c 0.001) were statistically significant and accounted for 73.6% of the variance in initiating sunscreen usage behavior. In addition, the constructs of emotional transformation (β = 0.486, p \u3c 0.001) and practice for change (β = 0.211, p \u3c 0.001), as well as changes in the social environment (β = 0.148, p \u3c 0.001) were significant predictors of maintaining sunscreen usage behavior and contributed to 59% of variance in sustenance. These findings offer a valuable insight regarding the applicability of MTM models to guiding public health interventions promoting sunscreen usage and preventing UV radiation risk and related skin cancer

Gardens as Science Learning Contexts Across Educational Stages: Learning Assessment Based on Students' Graphic Representations

The educational use of daily-life contexts is considered a valuable strategy to promote meaningful science learning, since it facilitates the establishment of connections between previous knowledge, personal interests, and new learning. The aim of this work is to provide evidence to support the presence of gardens at educational centers, by assessing key science topics whose learning is promoted at the pre-school, primary, secondary, and university stages. To this end, we analyzed the paired graphic representations of "a garden" that students drew both before and after their participation in a garden-based learning program. Firstly, we obtained the frequency of appearance of every represented element, and afterward characterized the level of change between paired graphic representations. Sample size was of 24-19-25-29 pairs per stage, respectively. Across all stages, an overall improvement in students' graphic expression was observed, which can be attributed to their experience in the space. At the pre-school stage, the garden favored the establishment of some simple cause-effect relationships which were consolidated at the primary stage, and provided a climate of motivation and affectivity that was evident in the final drawings, given the enormous quantity of details represented, the level of the finished product, and the careful combination and variety of colors. The presence of elements related to water notably increased in final graphic representations from pre-school, primary, and secondary education, thus evidencing that the use of gardens facilitates an approach to responsible water management. At the university stage, students initially demonstrated good knowledge of conventional agriculture, while the gardening experience -which was based on permaculture practices- helped evolve their ideas toward an alternative model of cultivation. The most prevalent science learning across all stages was related to plant knowledge, particularly to their anatomical traits and diversity. Finally, the role of educational gardens as models for students was evidenced, which suggests the importance of teachers and institutions carefully considering which model to offer. Overall, our results support the legitimacy of incorporating gardens to educational centers, particularly for promoting contact with live plants and plant knowledge, and potentially for promoting contact with garden fauna and activities oriented toward learning about it

Green qualities in the neighbourhood and mental health - results from a longitudinal cohort study in Southern Sweden

Background: Poor mental health is a major issue worldwide and causality is complex. For diseases with multifactorial background synergistic effects of person-and place-factors can potentially be preventive. Nature is suggested as one such positive place-factor. In this cohort study we tested the effect of defined green qualities (Serene, Space, Wild, Culture, Lush) in the environment at baseline on mental health at follow-up. We also studied interaction effects on mental health of those place factors and varied person factors (financial stress, living conditions, and physical activity). Methods: Data on person factors were extracted from a longitudinal (years 1999/2000 and 2005) population health survey (n = 24945). The participants were geocoded and linked to data on green qualities from landscape assessments, and stored in the Geographical Information System (GIS). Crude odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated, and multivariate logistic analyses were performed. Results: Mental health was not affected by access to the chosen green qualities, neither in terms of amount nor in terms of any specific quality. However, we found a reduced risk for poor mental health at follow-up among women, through a significant interaction effect between physical activity and access to the qualities Serene or Space. For men the tendencies were similar, though not significant. Regarding the other three green qualities, as well as amount of qualities, no statistically certain synergistic effects were found. Likewise, no significant synergies were detected between green qualities and the other person-factors. Only advanced exercise significantly reduced the risk for poor mental health among women, but not for men, compared to physical inactivity. Conclusions: The results do not directly support the hypothesis of a preventive mental health effect by access to the green qualities. However, the additive effect of serene nature to physical activity contributed to better mental health at follow-up. This tendency was equal for both sexes, but statistically significant only for women. Objective landscape assessments may be important in detangling geographic determinants of health. This study stresses the importance of considering interaction effects when dealing with disorders of multifactorial background

An Empirical test of an expanded version of the theory of planned behavior in predicting recycling behavior on campus

Background: The study and promotion of environmental health behaviors, such as recycling, is an emerging focus in public health. Purpose: This study was designed to examine the determinants of recycling intention on a college campus. Methods: Undergraduate students (N=189) completed a 35-item web-based survey past findings and an expanded version of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Path analytic models were examined with bootstrapping method. Results: The path coefficients revealed that all of the direct paths were statistically significant except the direct path from descriptive norm to behavioral intention. The model explained 49.3% of the variance in recycling intention. The strongest predictors of campus recycling intention were moral obligation and behavioral attitudes. Discussion: The expanded version of the TPB proved to be a sound theoretical framework to study the determinants of recycling on campus. Overall, the model components had a large effect on recycling intention. Translation to Health Education Practice: Using behavior change theory to understand recycling behavior is prerequisite to evidenced-based recycling interventions. These findings should be used to guide campus recycling interventions. © 2012 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC