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Despite the success of health programs conducted within African American (AA) churches, research has been limited in understanding facilitators and barriers that exist when conducting adult health programs within AA churches. Thus, the objective of this study was to systematically review the literature to identify these facilitators and barriers. A comprehensive literature search was conducted and studies that met the eligibility criteria were divided based on their focus: disease topic or behavior, health promotion activities, or church readiness. Facilitators and barriers were also stratified using the socioecological model. Out of 288 articles initially identified, only 29 were included. Facilitators and barriers were predominantly found at the intrapersonal and organizational level for disease topic or behavior studies, and at the organizational level for studies focused on health promotion activities and church readiness. None of the articles identified facilitators and barriers at the policy level., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Sedentary behavior is associated with poor physical and mental health. Targeting sedentary behavior is a simple strategy that may help counter physical and mental health concerns associated with COVID-19-related social restrictions. Of course, traditional strategies such as achieving optimal exercise and physical activity levels are also important and should be recommended. However, even under normal circumstances, the difficulty in promoting lasting exercise habits at multiple levels (e.g. individual, environment, policy) are well documented, and chances of maintaining or improving these factors is now even lower. Thus, relative to other lifestyle behaviors - sedentary behavior may be more amenable to change. Moreover, reducing sedentary behavior may be less susceptible to influence from factors associated with health disparities such as age, race, and socio-economic status compared to exercise or physical activity. Sedentary behavior is a feasible health strategy that should be targeted during COVID-19., (© Society of Behavioral Medicine 2020. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Professionals interested in advancing best practices in worksite wellness have been calling for more organizational and environmental approaches that will advance a culture of health. We seem to be getting the message across because a recent national survey shows that "supportive social and physical environment" is one of the 5 elements used to define a comprehensive program that has increased the most from 29.2% naming this as part of their approach in 2004 to 56% of companies in 2017. Yet 2 worksite health promotion studies that garnered media attention this past year offer telling examples of what occurs when researchers conflate or confuse the effectiveness of a health education program with a socioecological approach. I would suggest we replace the term "comprehensive programs" with "socioecological approach" or a "culture of health approach" or, at least, "a comprehensive approach ," anything but continued use of the oxymoronic term "comprehensive program ."

Objective: The current study seeks to identify policy, system and environmental (PSE) correlates of fruit and vegetable consumption among a sample of low-income African Americans in two counties in Alabama (Jefferson and Mobile) and one county in Mississippi (Forrest)., Design: A modified Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFFS) survey, which included multi-level ecological factors, was used to evaluate nutritional habits at the pre-intervention stage of a multi-state research study. We surveyed a total of 256 participants between May and August 2015. Local community coalitions established in each of the counties were instrumental in the planning and administration of the baseline survey., Results: Univariate analyses revealed that whether participants met the daily recommendation for fruit/vegetable consumption may be correlated with whether participants had children who attended schools/day care centers with health policies in place, received food assistance, and observed media campaigns related to nutrition. Further, results of multivariate analysis indicated that meeting fruit/vegetable recommendations was correlated with personally participating or having a family member who participated in a health policy meeting in the past two years., Conclusion: These findings suggest that policy-based interventions have the potential to improve health outcomes among priority populations, such as low-income African Americans, who are at high risk of developing chronic diseases., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: None declared.

People living with HIV (PLWH) experience a disproportionate burden of mental health problems compared to people living without HIV. This systematic review aims to depict the spectrum of resilience resources that may promote the mental health of PLWH at the individual, interpersonal, organisational, community and policy levels. A systematic literature search was conducted in PsycINFO, Scopus, Medline and advanced Google Scholar. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Of the 591 studies identified, fourteen were included representing a total of 5,142 PLWH from China, Ghana, Nepal, Spain, Tanzania and the USA. Resilience resources were identified at the individual level (self-efficacy, self-esteem, acceptance, hope, optimism, religiosity/spirituality, belief in fate, mindfulness, strength and self-responsibility); interpersonal level (social support and parental monitoring); and community level (attending HIV clinic support groups and access to healthcare). All quantitative studies were cross-sectional, limiting inferences about causation or directionality. Future research should focus on resilience resources at the organisational and policy levels and incorporate longitudinal designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Negev Bedouin settlements suffer from poor infrastructure, and the population's health status is low across all indicators. While it is difficult for Bedouin citizens of Israel to integrate into the Israeli employment market, integrating this population into the health system is far-reaching. The aim of this study is to analyze the barriers and motivational factors experienced by Bedouin doctors to promote public health in the Bedouin community in southern Israel and to examine the perceptions these doctors have around the concept of leadership in a public health setting. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with Bedouin doctors from the Negev Bedouin community and analyzed them using thematic analysis. Results: Most interviewees saw themselves as leaders whose role was to improve public health in their community. They stressed the need for health leadership in Negev Bedouin society, and their desire to lead change in the community from within. All interviewees had grown used to a different way of life and a higher standard of living, and as a result, had difficulty returning home. Interviewees presented that trust in the health system is a critical factor for the success of health promotion programs. However, they noted the evolving trends of general mistrust in the government and its institutions that form the infrastructure for mistrust in the health system. Lack of time and workload were barriers to exercising leadership. Interviewees reported their perception of how socioeconomic status, the standard of living, and lack of infrastructure, education, and training affect health outcomes and collaboration potential. Discussion: This study presents a unique perspective on the views of doctors from the Negev Bedouin population on their involvement with grassroots leadership as a strategy to reduce health disparities in this community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Findings on children's mental health promotion at the policy level are scarce, and the perceptions of the municipal administration on factors affecting children's mental health have not been reported. This study describes the perspectives of policymakers and leading officeholders on promotive and risk factors for children's mental health in a socioecological context. The perspectives of Finnish policymakers (n = 15) and officeholders (n = 10) in municipalities were examined using semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed using inductive content analysis and were categorized according to the five levels of a socioecological model of health promotion: public policy, community, organizational, interpersonal and individual levels. The public policy level emerged strongly in the findings, specifically strategic planning and implementation challenges related to the promotion of children's mental health in the municipality and state administration. At the community level, environmental factors promoting children's mental health as well as risk factors were described. The organizational level consisted of support, requirements and development needs in children's services. The importance of family and close networks at the interpersonal level, as well as the individual basis of mental health, were also evident. The integration and better collaboration of child and family services, the use of child rights impact assessment in political decision-making, and financial support from the state could contribute to improving strategic planning to support children's mental health at the municipal level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate whether the relationship of neighborhood environmental factors with physical activity (PA) is moderated by cognitive functioning in Belgian older adults. Methods: Seventy-one older adults completed validated questionnaires on PA and environmental perceptions, wore an accelerometer, and completed a computerized assessment of cognitive functioning. Moderated linear regression analyses were conducted in SPSS 24.0. Results: Overall cognitive functioning significantly moderated the associations of traffic safety and street connectivity with PA. Detailed analyses showed that these factors were only positively associated with PA in older adults with lower cognitive functioning. In addition, particularly, performance on tests assessing visuospatial and episodic memory moderated these associations. Discussion: Living in trafficsafe neighborhoods with short and many alternative routes might motivate older adults with lower cognitive functioning to be active. As such, the increase in PA might improve their cognitive abilities. This knowledge is crucial for health practitioners to develop effective PA promotion initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To describe promotive and risk factors for children's mental health at the individual, interpersonal, organizational, community and public policy levels of the socioecological environment. Design: A descriptive qualitative interview study. Methods: Data were collected in Finland during autumn 2019 via semi‐structured interviews. Participants (n = 23) comprised public health nurses who worked in child health clinics and school healthcare. Data were analyzed using inductive content analysis. Results: Several promotive and risk factors were identified to have affected children's mental health. Intra‐family factors were the most important in the opinion of public health nurses, and they were most concerned about family related risk factors. In addition, the descriptions of nurses revealed that children are in a socially unequal position in terms of their place of residence. It was also uncovered that there were fewer social and healthcare and leisure services in small municipalities, the distances to services were longer, which was perceived to complicate the use of services, and the fear of stigma was greater. Conclusion: According to public health nurses, factors at the individual, interpersonal, organizational, community and public policy levels of the socioecological environment affect children's mental health and overall well‐being. Consequently, the promotion of children's mental health should be emphasized at every level of the society, considering the whole family. Impact: This study indicated the importance of considering factors that affect children's mental health at all levels of the socioecological environment. The results can be reflected in the relation of the socioecological model of health promotion and used in planning the work of nurses in primary healthcare and other relevant nursing settings to emphasize promotive and preventive work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most people in developed countries are not physically active enough to reap optimal health benefits so effective promotion strategies are warranted. Theories of behaviour change are essential to understand physical activity and provide an organizing framework for effective intervention. The purpose of this paper was to provide a narrative historical overview of four key theoretical frameworks (social cognitive, humanistic, dual process, socioecological) that have been applied to understand and change physical activity over the last three decades. Our synthesis of research included the brief history, basic efficacy, strengths, and potential weaknesses of these approaches when applied to physical activity. The dominant framework for understanding physical activity has been in the social cognitive tradition, and it has provided valuable information on key constructs linked to physical activity. The humanistic framework for understanding physical activity has seen a surge in research in the last decade and has demonstrated initial effectiveness in both explaining and intervening on behaviour. The most recent and understudied framework for understanding physical activity is dual process models, which may have promise to provide a broader perspective of motivation by considering non-conscious and hedonic determinants of physical activity. Finally, the individual-level focus of all three of these approaches is contrasted by the socioecological framework, which has seen considerable research attention in the last 15 years and has been instrumental in understanding the role of the built environment in physical activity behaviour and critical to shaping public health policy in government. Despite the strengths of all four frameworks, we noted several weaknesses of each approach at present and highlight several newer applications of integrated models and dynamic models that may serve to improve our understanding and promotion of physical activity over the next decade. • Provides a narrative historical overview of four key theoretical frameworks applied to understand physical activity over the last three decades. • Brief history, basic efficacy, strengths, and potential weaknesses of these approaches are addressed. • Highlights applications of integrated and dynamic models that may serve to improve our promotion of physical activity over the next decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a seeming lack within the public health fields of both research and practice of information sharing across so-called “silos of work”. Many professionals in the public health fields dealing with infectious diseases (IDs) are unaware of the programs and approaches taken by their colleagues in the non-communicable diseases (NCDs) arena, and vice versa. A particular instance of this is in the understanding and application of health promotion approaches. This is a problem that needs to be addressed with the goal of producing the most efficient and effective health promotion approaches to the prevention and control of diseases in general. Objectives: This project examined health promotion approaches to the prevention of NCDs that could be used in the prevention of IDs. Methods: A knowledge synthesis and translation perspective was undertaken. We screened and analyzed a wide range of sources that were considered relevant, with particular emphasis on systematic reviews, published articles and the grey literature. Results: The analysis revealed a diverse health promotion knowledge base for application to IDs. Comprehensive health promotion models were found to be useful. Findings suggest that there are profound similarities for health promotion approaches in both NCDs and IDs. Conclusions: This study revealed gaps in knowledge synthesis to translation. The need for development of intervention and implementation research is considered.

Objective: To develop and apply a framework exploring the extent of involvement in promoting environmental changes to prevent obesity by a group of nutrition educators (NE). Design: Cross-sectional, mixed methods: qualitative interviews informed framework development; survey applied framework to describe NE’s involvement in environmental changes. Setting: Cooperative Extension in New York State. Participants: Interviewees (n = 7) selected to vary in environmental change activities and rural/urban location. Survey response rate was 100% (n = 58). Phenomenon o f Interest/Variables Measured: Dimensions and degree of NE’s involvement in promoting environmental change. Analysis: Thematic analysis of qualitative data, triangulated with descriptive analyses of NE’s performance of tasks in various settings. Results: NE’s promotion of environmental changes was characterized using framework based on settings and tasks, dimensions that emerged from qualitative analysis. NE’s actions varied across these dimensions and ranged from low to high intensity of collaboration and leadership for environmental change. Most NE surveyed reported actions limited to providing information and recommendations on healthy eating and physical activity. Few reported intensive engagement in developing, implementing, and evaluating plans to change environments for obesity prevention. Conclusions and Implications: Framework identifies the levels of engagement in promoting environmental changes and supports future research and practice of community nutrition professionals by providing a roadmap for assessing their involvement on multiple levels to prevent obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a seeming lack within the public health fields of both research and practice of information sharing across so-called "silos of work". Many professionals in the public health fields dealing with infectious diseases (IDs) are unaware of the programs and approaches taken by their colleagues in the non-communicable diseases (NCDs) arena, and vice versa. A particular instance of this is in the understanding and application of health promotion approaches. This is a problem that needs to be addressed with the goal of producing the most efficient and effective health promotion approaches to the prevention and control of diseases in general. Objectives: This project examined health promotion approaches to the prevention of NCDs that could be used in the prevention of IDs. Methods: A knowledge synthesis and translation perspective was undertaken. We screened and analyzed a wide range of sources that were considered relevant, with particular emphasis on systematic reviews, published articles and the grey literature. Results: The analysis revealed a diverse health promotion knowledge base for application to IDs. Comprehensive health promotion models were found to be useful. Findings suggest that there are profound similarities for health promotion approaches in both NCDs and IDs. Conclusions: This study revealed gaps in knowledge synthesis to translation. The need for development of intervention and implementation research is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Rural Australians have a higher likelihood of chronic disease and lower levels of physical activity than urban Australians. Little is known of the factors associated with physical activity among rural-dwelling Australians. This study sought to determine the correlates of physical activity among men and women of the South Australian Riverland region. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Regional area. Participants There are 299 randomly selected 18-65 year olds. Main outcome measures Determinations of insufficient and sufficient physical activity levels based on public health recommendations. Results Using logistic regression: in men, sufficient physical activity was associated with reporting perceived sufficient physical activity for health (odds ratio 3.194 [1.703-5.989]), and having friends who encouraged physical activity (3.641 [1.450-9.141]). Men who reported insufficient time (0.350 [0.151-0.812]) and getting enough physical activity at their job (0.374 [0.199-0.702]) were less likely to be sufficiently active. In women, sufficient physical activity was associated with not being employed (2.929 [1.063-8.066]), higher self-efficacy (2.939 [1.118-7.726]) and having a regular physical activity routine (3.404 [1.829-6.337]). Older age (0.960 [0.929-0.995]), poorer self-rated health (0.233 [0.060-0.900]) and weekend sitting time (0.823 [0.692-0.980]) were negatively associated with sufficient physical activity for women. Conclusions Factors associated with physical activity in this rural adult population differed by sex. Sex-specific approaches to promote physical activity might have utility for this population. Strategies to enhance social connectedness among men and encourage physical activity outside of work can be warranted. Women can require programs to help them develop a regular physical activity routine and improve self-efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The newly established national Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program has the potential to positively influence individuals, communities, and the environment regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. Many communities are applying their interest in physical activity promotion toward creating policies and programs to encourage active travel, though many barriers exist. SRTS legislation provides funds to address some of the barriers and improve the ability of students to safely walk and bicycle to school. SRTS requires that 70% to 90% of the funds be used for infrastructure projects (i.e., engineering treatments, such as sidewalk construction), and 10% to 30% for noninfrastructure activities, such as education, encouragement, and enforcement. The socioecological model (SEM) is widely used in public health and includes five levels of influence on behavior, from individual to public policy. Application of the SEM to SRTS provides a framework for a comprehensive approach to improve active travel to school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most public health issues in Kuwait are related to unhealthy behaviours. Research shows that behaviours are the result not only exclusively of personal choices but also of myriads of other social and environmental factors. Kuwait is one of the leading countries in obesity and tobacco use in the world. Cardiovascular diseases stemming from complications related to these and other risk factors are important health issues based on their morbidity and mortality implications. These risks are spread across society and affect the old as well as young boys. The serious gaps between Kuwait's health-related needs and the existing policies to reduce public health risks in Kuwait create a significant obstacle to healthy behaviour change. Kuwait requires adequate laws, policies, regulations, activities, and programs to promote people's health. The Socio-Ecological Model (SEM) has been used successfully in health promotion in various behavioural settings, including obesity, physical inactivity, and smoking. We propose the use of SEM as a planning framework in building sustainable health promotion programs in Kuwait while paying attention to other concepts such as systems thinking, authentic community participation, community capacity, policy development, public health infrastructure enhancement, health coaching, and equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]