Bringing Health and Fitness to Inner City Schools and Communities

The District of Columbia faces a health care crisis, which, in many ways, mirrors the challenges confronting urban centers across the nation. In FY '95, the District spent 34 percent of its total budget on health-related expenses. Yet, despite the billions of dollars expended over the years, many longstanding problems persist as new ones emerge." -- DC Government Homepage


In fact, the District of Columbia exceeds the US average for 10 out of the 14 leading causes of death, especially cancer, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, HIV infection and chronic liver disease. Wards 7 and 8 East of the river in the District of Columbia -- the most economically depressed part of the city -- are dominated by births registered to unwed mothers and teenage moms, and children there often do not receive the nutrition they need for optimum physical and mental development. Tobacco, drug and alcohol abuse are prevalent in the community, and younger children are the victims of an impoverished environment and poor role models. This combination of risky life-style behaviors and high disease and death rates marks a public health crisis that requires urgent attention and a focus on prevention.

Anacostia in DC—locus of new CECHE program

CECHE has initiated an a school-and community-based education/intervention model to achieve its ultimate goal of improving lifestyle and reducing the risk of related diseases for children and adults in the District of Columbia. Our initial goal is to develop and implement a pilot health promotion, disease prevention program at one or more local schools in Anacostia. CECHE’s October ‘99 annual meeting brought together leaders from the DC Department of Health, the DC Council and community partners to address this crisis. The participants endorsed and offered involvement in CECHE’s after-school enrichment program, initiated at Garfield Elementary School in Ward 8. Emerging lessons will serve as a guide to possible application in additional schools in southeast DC and possibly other communities in the District of Columbia.

CECHE partners-- the Georgetown University Child Development Center, DC Office of Peaceable Schools and Cause Children Count have begun to work with CECHE to engage parents and children at Garfield in group workshops and activities such as a community vegetable garden and cooking sessions, Internet-based research and learning, science and health fairs, and “smoke outs.”

To achieve large-scale impact, DCTV—the District’s cable TV channel— will train students in production and dissemination of television/video programs, which will be telecast on cable TV, reaching thousands of District school children in their homes. And, copies of the programs will be distributed to DC elementary schools and made accessible to schools around the country via Garfield's website.

The program is targeting one or more of the following during a pilot phase:

  • Good nutrition for promotion of health and prevention of disease
  • Physical education
  • Prevention of substance abuse
  • Prevention/cessation smoking and alcohol

A series of action-oriented programs for students complemented by companion workshops for parent groups will be implemented by a health education team comprising existing talent at the schools and supplemented with expertise in nutrition, public health, medicine, mass media and information technology. Sample activities include:

  • Community/Vegetable Garden
  • Menu planning and experimentation (school cafeteria as testing ground)
  • School Web site with focus on health
  • Internet based health issue "research/learning" and graphics health message design/PSA competition
  • Video screenings and critiques (parent/student) of smoking, alcohol/drug abuse prevention programs
  • Field visits (shopping trips, TV studio, farm, medical center)
  • Guided research/health project for health and science fairs.
  • Workbook/video program
  • School newsletter with health section
  • Physical education/exercise, combined with discussions of personal hygiene

Three small components of the program, including installation of a LAN at Garfield, a Peer Advocate Pregnancy Program and a Substance Abuse Prevention Program have been initiated. CECHE is actively moving to make the whole program a reality. Comments and support are welcome!

 



In Focus, CECHE's new online publication, brings into focus lifestyle-related chronic diseases and environmental issues worldwide. It reaches health professionals and policy-makers in over 50 countries

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Questions? Comments? Concerns? E-mail CECHE at CECHE@comcast.net
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