Paula Masters and Alyssa Lovelace Speak at AAHC Research Meeting

Paula Masters, MPH, Assistant Dean for Student Services in the College of Public Health, and Alyssa Lovelace, MPH student, presented at the 2015 Association for Academic Health Centers (AAHC) Research Meeting on December 3, 2015 in Washington, D.C. The 2015 meeting, The Obesity Epidemic and Emerging Trends in Health Science Research, was designed for current and aspiring research leaders from AAHC member institutions, including all AAHC executive leadership group members. 

Ms. Masters and Ms. Lovelace presented “Aligning Funding and Practice to Develop Sustainable Childhood Obesity Programming” in a session titled Population Health Approaches to Addressing Obesity.  The presentation highlighted a project, funded by the Appalachian Funders Network, during which they collaborated with Dr. Kate Beatty, Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Services Management and Policy and Principal Investigator for the grant.  

Compared to other regions of the United States, people living in Appalachia suffer from higher rates of obesity and the associated chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, fibromyalgia, and sleep apnea as well as higher rates of premature mortality for those diseases. 

A survey of practitioners and funders identified efforts to reduce childhood obesity including obesity prevention, healthy eating and/or physical activity. Focus groups conducted across the region provided participant generated strategies to address gaps and needs. Preliminary results demonstrated some areas of disconnect between funders and practitioners. Programs were more sustainable if funded from within the community rather than from an outside source. Further, programs were more likely to be successful if they were based on need and collaboration between the practitioners and funders. 

The data collected provide a comprehensive picture of the current health condition of central Appalachia as well as guidance on how to best support obesity control efforts in the region. 

Ms. Masters and Ms. Lovelace stated, “This collaboration hopes to promote the alignment of needs and ideas between practitioners and funders for the successful promotion of a healthy lifestyle within greater Appalachia.”