The Institute for Public Health has awarded Public Health-Cubed (PH3) Cycle 3.0 winter grants of $15,000 each to two project teams.
PH3 is a rapid seed funding mechanism to support cross-disciplinary projects proposed by the Institute’s Faculty Scholars. All funded projects focus on health equity issues in the St. Louis region.
The winter PH3 funding has been awarded to the following projects:
The Impact of Community Peer-led Physical Activity Classes at Trojan Park Fitness Zones on Park Use and Activity Levels
Team: Diana C. Parra Perez, PhD, MPH; Deborah Salvo, PhD; Ross Brownson, PhD
Information from 2008 to 2016 reveals that among American adults, only about 20-26% reported sufficient activity to meet the relevant aerobic and muscle-strengthening guidelines issued in the U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.
The purpose of this project is to increase physical activity at Trojan Park in North St. Louis (particularly through Fitness Zones-outdoor exercise equipment), using a community peer-led program. The team will use their existing partnership with The Move by BJC gym to work with community members to both increase the number of people that attend the park and to promote active use of the fitness equipment by adults. Grant funding will be used to implement the peer-led physical activity intervention in which personal trainers will provide training to young community leaders so that they can lead physical activity classes in the park for community residents.
Characterizing Disparities in Obesity Management among Children with Asthma in St. Louis
Team: Leyao Wang, PhD, MPH; Deborah Salvo, PhD; Lei Liu, PhD
In St. Louis, one in five children are diagnosed with asthma, twice that of the national average. Children with asthma are at high risk for obesity and obese children with asthma have more severe symptoms, need more therapy, and have higher likelihood of hospitalization, as compared to children with asthma of normal weight.
This project will conduct interviews with families of children with asthma in the St. Louis region to examine multi-level factors underlying obesity management. The goal of this project is to inform development of effective interventions to reduce obesity disparities in a substantial population of children with asthma, thus contributing to health equity in our region. Grant funds will be used to aid in the development of questionnaires, community-engagement, and analysis.