Studies & Projects

Ongoing Projects

Familias Sanas y Activas, the San Diego Prevention Research Center's (SDPRC) core research project, was launched in 2006. Its two-fold aim is to: (1) improve the health and well-being of San Diego South Bay's primarily Latino population by increasing participation in physical activity and (2) build the capacity of community partners. This community organization-based intervention follows a Train-the-Trainers (TOT) model, educating volunteer physical activity trainers and promotoras with an extensive curriculum developed by physical activity experts. Trainers, who either work or volunteer for the TOT site organizations, are trained by SDPRC staff to use the Familias Sanas y Activas promotora curriculum to train a group of promotoras . Trainers also receive skills development in adult education, program planning, and program evaluation aimed at benefiting TOT site organizations. These agencies include a large-scale health clinic, a multi-service social agency, a public housing complex, and a department of recreation.

Once trained, promotoras translate their skills into free-of-charge physical activity programs for residents of San Diego's South Bay region. In addition, promotoras connect study participants with free and low-cost physical activity resources in their communities, such as parks and other recreational facilities, by providing them with a community resource guide and a community parks walking path guide developed by the SDPRC. Materials are bilingual Spanish/English, pictorial, and written at a 6th-grade literacy level. To sustain their volunteer efforts, trainers and promotoras receive a 'bank account" to fund additional capacity building trainings of their choice, such as Fitness Instructor, Red Cross CPR and First Aid Training, Zumba Instructor, as well as continuing education to complete GED's. promotoras also receive an equipment fund to purchase items needed for exercise classes as well as ongoing support from trainers and SDPRC staff.

The types, times and locations of promotora exercise groups offer range widely. These classes include basketball and soccer groups, zumba, aerobics, kickboxing, boot camp, senior fitness, stretch band exercises, walking groups, and multir�tmicos. The promotoras hold their exercise groups at locations provided by community partners, including school gyms, park and recreation centers, a YMCA facility, TOT site organization facilities, and a public housing gym. promotoras also model and demonstrate their exercise groups at community events, including community health fairs and health promotion events, conferences, and workshops.

Study participants are recruited by trainers and promotoras at their site agencies and through mobilizing informal networks, as well as by the SDPRC Evaluation Team at various community events. The Evaluation Team is responsible for tracking study participants' progress in meeting physical activity goals by evaluating their health and health behaviors before starting the program, and six and twelve months later. The SDPRC Intervention Team provides feedback to participants on their health status using a procedure known as SCORE. As part of SCORE, participants receive individualized physical activity goals based on their fitness evaluation results. Participants are also encouraged to meet the recommended 30 minutes of physical activity at least 5 days per week and are free to attend as many classes as they wish. Upon completing baseline evaluation, participants receive several bilingual, pictorial exercise guides developed by the SDPRC as well as exercise equipment (stretch band, pedometer, water bottle) in a "physical activity toolkit" backpack for use during and outside the promotora-led exercise groups.

Engaging in advocacy efforts aimed at changing the built environment is another important aspect of Familias Sanas y Activas. The TOT promotora curriculum includes community organizing and advocacy sessions on how to reach local and state governmental representatives as well as other key stakeholders to advocate for changes to reduce environmental barriers to physical activity. The sessions include a modified photovoice component as well as a walkability audit. The current focus of Familias Sanas y Activas advocacy efforts is community park improvement. In Sept. of 2008 SDPRC promotoras put theory into practice by taking photos and conducting a park audit in a San Ysidro park. SDPRC staff and promotoras will analyze and compile photos and park audit data to share with our partner, the City of San Diego Department of Recreation, with the ultimate goal of advocating before San Diego City Council to increase funding allocation to parks in underserved communities.

Familias Sanas y Activas includes a media component, with SDPRC staff employing a range of media methods to generate program recognition and increase the number of participants recruited to participate in the study. Branding the Familias Sanas y Activas name in the community helps facilitate participant recruitment as media efforts cultivate community familiarity with the program. In addition, because the project has worked to secure free advertising through local media outlets, the program receives additional credibility as a community-endorsed program benefitting community residents. Radio efforts include talk show interviews as well as a campaign involving paid public service announcements broadcast Oct.-Nov. 2007 on two major Spanish-language radio stations. Nine newspapers, mostly Spanish language and bilingual, have included stories on Familias Sanas y Activas, and Familias Sanas y Activas trainers and promotoras appeared on 2 local Spanish-language television network talk shows.

Finally, the project includes 2 macro-level evaluation components that measure success in increasing physical activity and the use of community resources. First, the Evaluation Team measures physical activity in community parks by using the methodology, System for Observing Park and Recreation in Communities, developed by SDPRC affiliated faculty member, Thom McKenzie. Observations are conducted by SDPRC student interns in both intervention and control community parks over a 6 week period. Second, the Evaluation Team supports implementation of a community wide survey (english | spanish) on physical activity rates and community resource use in San Ysidro and the control community. A baseline survey was conducted in Year 2, prior to intervention implementation, and will be repeated in Year 5.

last updated: 11/18/08