TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessing the network of agencies in local communities that promote healthy eating and lifestyles among populations with limited resources
AU - An, Ruopeng
AU - Khan, Naiman
AU - Loehmer, Emily
AU - McCaffrey, Jennifer
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was approved by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Institutional Review Board (IRB No.16165). Consent was obtained from individual respondent via Qualtrics prior to survey participation.
Copyright:
Copyright 2017 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2017/3
Y1 - 2017/3
N2 - Objectives: We assessed the network of agencies in local communities that promote healthy eating and lifestyles among populations with limited resources. Methods: Network surveys were administered among 159 Illinois agencies identified as serving limited-resource audiences categorized into 8 types: K-12 schools, early childhood centers, emergency food providers, health-related agencies, social resource centers, low-income/subsidized housing complexes, continuing education organizations, and others. Network analysis was conducted to examine 4 network structures-communications, funding, cooperation, and collaboration networks between agencies within each county/county cluster. Results: Agencies in a network were found to be loosely connected, indicated by low network density. Reporting accuracy might be of concern, indicated by low reciprocity. Agencies in a network are decentralized rather than centralized around a few influential agencies, indicated by low betweenness centrality. There is suggestive evidence regarding homophily in a network, indicated by some significant correlations within agencies of the same type. Agencies connected in one network are significantly more likely to be connected in all the other networks as well. Conclusions: Promoting healthy eating and lifestyles among populations with limited resources warrants strong partnership across agencies in communities. Network analysis serves as a useful tool to evaluate community partnerships and facilitate coalition building.
AB - Objectives: We assessed the network of agencies in local communities that promote healthy eating and lifestyles among populations with limited resources. Methods: Network surveys were administered among 159 Illinois agencies identified as serving limited-resource audiences categorized into 8 types: K-12 schools, early childhood centers, emergency food providers, health-related agencies, social resource centers, low-income/subsidized housing complexes, continuing education organizations, and others. Network analysis was conducted to examine 4 network structures-communications, funding, cooperation, and collaboration networks between agencies within each county/county cluster. Results: Agencies in a network were found to be loosely connected, indicated by low network density. Reporting accuracy might be of concern, indicated by low reciprocity. Agencies in a network are decentralized rather than centralized around a few influential agencies, indicated by low betweenness centrality. There is suggestive evidence regarding homophily in a network, indicated by some significant correlations within agencies of the same type. Agencies connected in one network are significantly more likely to be connected in all the other networks as well. Conclusions: Promoting healthy eating and lifestyles among populations with limited resources warrants strong partnership across agencies in communities. Network analysis serves as a useful tool to evaluate community partnerships and facilitate coalition building.
KW - At-risk communities
KW - Community health promotion
KW - Diet
KW - Network analysis
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U2 - 10.5993/AJHB.41.2.3
DO - 10.5993/AJHB.41.2.3
M3 - Article
C2 - 28452689
AN - SCOPUS:85015281709
SN - 1087-3244
VL - 41
SP - 127
EP - 138
JO - American journal of health behavior
JF - American journal of health behavior
IS - 2
ER -