Kj. Harris et al., COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS - REVIEW OF SELECTED MODELS AND EVALUATION OF 2 CASE-STUDIES, Journal of nutrition education, 29(4), 1997, pp. 189-195
Risks for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are established early in life
with behavior patterns associated with diet and physical activity. Es
tablishing healthy behavior patterns among children, and providing the
environmental supports necessary to maintain them, has the potential
to reduce future risks for chronic diseases. This paper reviews the li
terature on collaborative partnerships formed to address similar issue
s. The authors describe the evaluation of school and community partner
ships facilitated by the Kansas LEAN School Intervention Project, whic
h had the mission of reducing risks for chronic diseases, including CV
Ds and some cancers, among children. A multiple case study design was
used with collaborative partnerships in two communities in Kansas. The
results suggest that the partnerships facilitated important changes i
n the schools and communities. We discuss challenges and opportunities
in the evaluation of school and community partnerships for health.