Newsroom

PRC Steering Committee Publishes Editorial
Writing on behalf of the PRC Steering Committee, four PRC representatives highlight the value of the PRC Program. See “CDC’s Prevention Research Centers Program: Translating Research into Action with Communities” in the August 2011 issue of the Journal of Primary Prevention

PRCs Report Research in September 2011 Issue of Preventing Chronic Disease:

Lessons Learned from Arkansas’ Statewide Policy Aimed at Reducing and Preventing Childhood Obesity
Based on evaluation of the 2003 Arkansas Act 1220, researchers at the University of Arkansas PRC and colleagues suggest that states considering a similar population-based approach to preventing and reducing childhood obesity should address concerns over individual rights versus public policy during policy development. See “Public Policy Versus Individual Rights in Childhood Obesity Interventions: Perspectives From the Arkansas Experience With Act 1220 of 2003.”
VERB Summer Scorecard Program May Encourage Physical Activity Among Youth
University of South Florida PRC researchers report that the VERB Summer Scorecard Program increased self reported vigorous physical activity among Lexington, Kentucky, youth aged 9 to 13 from 2004–2007. See “Vigorous Physical Activity Among Tweens, VERB Summer Scorecard Program, Lexington, Kentucky, 2004-2007.”

PRCs Report Research in July 2011 Issue of Preventing Chronic Disease:

Clean Indoor Air Regulation Associated with Reduced Hospital Admissions for Acute Coronary Syndrome
West Virginia PRC researchers found an association between a clean indoor air regulation and decreased hospital admission for acute coronary syndrome. Data were reviewed for hospitals in one West Virginia county from 2000 through 2008. See “Clean Indoor Air Regulation and Incidence of Hospital Admissions for Acute Coronary Syndrome in Kanawha County, West Virginia.”

Policy Change Shows Promise in Reducing Youths’ Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
Harvard PRC researchers found that a 2004 school district policy restricting the sale of sugar-sweetened beverages in public high schools significantly reduced students’ consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. See “Effect of School District Policy Change on Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Among High School Students, Boston, Massachusetts, 2004-2006.”

Assessment Influences Playground Renovation
Harvard PRC researchers report that providing policy-makers with results of a playground-quality assessment can ensure replacement of equipment is done fairly and according to need, See “Playground Renovations and Quality at Public Parks in Boston, Massachusetts, 1996-2007.”

Small, Rural Worksites have Potential to Promote Physical Activity and Healthy Eating
Through a qualitative study, Emory PRC researchers determined that small, rural worksites tend to support healthy behaviors, but lack cafeterias and have almost no established programs to promote health and prevent obesity. Given that more than half of Americans work for employers having fewer than 100 employees, access to worksite health promotion is critical. See “A Qualitative Examination of the Role of Small, Rural Worksites in Obesity Prevention.”

CDC Gives 2011 Charles C. Shepard Science Award to PRC/CDC Collaboration
The Breastfeeding, Antiretrovirals, and Nutrition (BAN) study is a special interest project (SIP) awarded to the PRC at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. On Friday, June 10, a scientific paper about the study received this year’s Charles C. Shepard Science Award in the category of prevention and control. The award-winning manuscript, “Maternal or Infant Antiretroviral Drugs To Reduce HIV-1 Transmission,” was published in the New England Journal of Medicine 2010;362:2271–81.It is the work of Charles Chasela, PhD, and his BAN colleagues—including a team from CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health, which funds the project. This achievement exemplifies what can be achieved through the Prevention Research Centers model—particularly in how it enables CDC researchers to work closely with external researchers.
The Charles C. Shepard Science Awards recognize excellence in science at CDC and ATSDR. An award is presented for scientific publications in the following areas: assessment and epidemiology, prevention and control, and laboratory and methods. Publications are evaluated based on scientific merit (including aspects such as originality, difficulty, efficiency, methods, and clarity) and impact on public health (importance and significance).

PRC Program Builds Capacity through Training and Technical Assistance
Qualitative and quantitative data reveal that training, technical assistance, and mentoring activities through PRCs can foster capacity-building and support the research interests of academics and community members. See “Training and technical assistance to enhance capacity building between Prevention Research Centers and their partners,” published in the May 2011 issue of Preventing Chronic Disease.

Middle School Students Increase Consumption of Water in School
In a pilot study, UCLA/RAND PRC researchers found that by implementing an educational strategy and providing filtered, chilled drinking water in middle school cafeterias, students increased their consumption of water. See “Increasing the Availability and Consumption of Drinking Water in Middle Schools: a Pilot Study,” in the May 2011 issue of Preventing Chronic Disease.
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