James Buszkiewicz - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Uploads

Papers by James Buszkiewicz

Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), Jul 1, 2017

To examine changes in prevalence of obesity and target health behaviors (fruit, vegetable, and be... more To examine changes in prevalence of obesity and target health behaviors (fruit, vegetable, and beverage consumption; physical activity; screen time; sleep duration) among students from communities that participated in the Massachusetts Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration (MA-CORD) project compared to controls. MA-CORD was implemented in two low-income communities. School-level prevalence of obesity among students in first, fourth, and seventh grades was calculated for the intervention communities and nine matched control communities pre and post intervention. Fourth- and seventh-grade students' self-reported health behaviors were measured in intervention communities at baseline and post intervention. Among seventh-graders (the student group with greatest intervention exposure), a statistically significant decrease in prevalence of obesity from baseline to post intervention in Community 2 (-2.68%, P = 0.049) and a similar but nonsignificant decrease in Community 1 (-2.24%, P...

American journal of public health, Jan 13, 2015

We evaluated the overall and sociodemographic disparities in trends in prevalence of childhood ov... more We evaluated the overall and sociodemographic disparities in trends in prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in Massachusetts public school districts between 2009 and 2014. In 2009, Massachusetts mandated annual screening of body mass index for students in grades 1, 4, 7, and 10. This was part of the statewide Mass in Motion prevention programs. We assessed trends in the prevalence of overweight and obesity between 2009 and 2014 by district, gender, grade, and district income. From 2009 to 2014, prevalence decreased 3.0 percentage points (from 34.3% to 31.3%) statewide. The 2014 district-level rates ranged from 13.9% to 54.5% (median = 31.2%). When stratified by grade, the decreasing trends were significant only for grades 1 and 4. Although rates of districts with a median household income greater than $37 000 improved notably, rates of the poorest remain unchanged and were approximately 40%. Although overall prevalence began to decrease, the geographic and socioeconomic di...

As public health places greater emphasis on linking clinical and community settings, there will b... more As public health places greater emphasis on linking clinical and community settings, there will be growing need for local residents and policymakers to understand local public health outcomes and other contextual information. To meet this need, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) with advice from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) launched "Our Healthy Massachusetts" (OHM) a public website featuring health-related indicators, spatial data, data explorations, and qualitative data about local programs. This paper reports the result of a survey of users of the OHM website, investigating their motivations, background, and use of the information resources made available. Many of the features on the OHM website are powered by WEAVE (Web-based Analysis and Visualization Environment), a web-based open source data visualization software. All 351 communities in MA have an interactive map of local assets and/or partners in OHM. In addition, each has a list...

The overall goal of the Community Transformation Grants (CTG) is to reduce rates of adult obesity... more The overall goal of the Community Transformation Grants (CTG) is to reduce rates of adult obesity, tobacco use, and death and disability due to cardiovascular disease. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) was awarded 2 CTG which have provided the opportunity to develop a continuous quality improvement process for 52 funded communities. Individualized community progress reports were developed as a way to create uniform measures of effectiveness and set process targets, as well as community health goals. MDPH compiled data from 14 data sources to develop feedback reports for annual distribution. Small area estimation was used to calculate community-level estimates of three modifiable chronic disease risk factors: nutrition, physical activity, and smoking; and three chronic disease outcomes: hypertension, obesity, and heart disease. To provide a community-specific picture of the environment, data was collected on neighborhood walkability, park safety, and availability o...

INTRODUCTION: Perceived stress has been associated with obesogenic behaviors such as emotional ea... more INTRODUCTION: Perceived stress has been associated with obesogenic behaviors such as emotional eating and consumption of high-fat foods. We assessed perceived stress and its association with obesity in a random sample of residents living in communities participating in Mass in Motion (MiM) and non-MiM communities. MiM uses environmental approaches to promote healthy eating and active living in 52 Massachusetts communities. METHODS: Data were collected using a telephone survey of 1,262 residents age 18 and older. Perceived stress was measured using Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Body mass index (BMI) was calculated using self-reported height and weight. Logistic regression was used to estimate odd ratios for being obese (BMI ≥ 30) based on continuous perceived stress score while adjusting for gender, age, race/ethnicity, income, education, employment status, and marital status, as well as living in an MiM community. RESULTS: Mean PPS-10 score was 14.40, SD 4.72, with higher...

Childhood obesity (Print), Jan 9, 2015

Background: The Massachusetts Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration (MA-CORD) project is a 2-y... more Background: The Massachusetts Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration (MA-CORD) project is a 2-year, multilevel, multisector community intervention to prevent and control obesity among children 2-12 years of age from two predominantly low-income communities in Massachusetts. MA-CORD includes evidence-based interventions in multiple sectors, including community health centers, early care and education centers, schools, afterschool programs, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, and the broader community. Currently, implementation of MA-CORD is complete and the final year of data collection is in progress. Here, the MA-CORD evaluation plan is described and baseline data are presented. Methods/Design: The impact of MA-CORD on children's BMI, lifestyle behaviors, obesity-related care, and quality of life will be assessed using sector-specific, pre/post, time-series, and quasi-experimental designs. Change in the primary outcomes will be compared...

Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), Jul 1, 2017

To examine changes in prevalence of obesity and target health behaviors (fruit, vegetable, and be... more To examine changes in prevalence of obesity and target health behaviors (fruit, vegetable, and beverage consumption; physical activity; screen time; sleep duration) among students from communities that participated in the Massachusetts Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration (MA-CORD) project compared to controls. MA-CORD was implemented in two low-income communities. School-level prevalence of obesity among students in first, fourth, and seventh grades was calculated for the intervention communities and nine matched control communities pre and post intervention. Fourth- and seventh-grade students' self-reported health behaviors were measured in intervention communities at baseline and post intervention. Among seventh-graders (the student group with greatest intervention exposure), a statistically significant decrease in prevalence of obesity from baseline to post intervention in Community 2 (-2.68%, P = 0.049) and a similar but nonsignificant decrease in Community 1 (-2.24%, P...

American journal of public health, Jan 13, 2015

We evaluated the overall and sociodemographic disparities in trends in prevalence of childhood ov... more We evaluated the overall and sociodemographic disparities in trends in prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in Massachusetts public school districts between 2009 and 2014. In 2009, Massachusetts mandated annual screening of body mass index for students in grades 1, 4, 7, and 10. This was part of the statewide Mass in Motion prevention programs. We assessed trends in the prevalence of overweight and obesity between 2009 and 2014 by district, gender, grade, and district income. From 2009 to 2014, prevalence decreased 3.0 percentage points (from 34.3% to 31.3%) statewide. The 2014 district-level rates ranged from 13.9% to 54.5% (median = 31.2%). When stratified by grade, the decreasing trends were significant only for grades 1 and 4. Although rates of districts with a median household income greater than $37 000 improved notably, rates of the poorest remain unchanged and were approximately 40%. Although overall prevalence began to decrease, the geographic and socioeconomic di...

As public health places greater emphasis on linking clinical and community settings, there will b... more As public health places greater emphasis on linking clinical and community settings, there will be growing need for local residents and policymakers to understand local public health outcomes and other contextual information. To meet this need, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) with advice from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) launched "Our Healthy Massachusetts" (OHM) a public website featuring health-related indicators, spatial data, data explorations, and qualitative data about local programs. This paper reports the result of a survey of users of the OHM website, investigating their motivations, background, and use of the information resources made available. Many of the features on the OHM website are powered by WEAVE (Web-based Analysis and Visualization Environment), a web-based open source data visualization software. All 351 communities in MA have an interactive map of local assets and/or partners in OHM. In addition, each has a list...

The overall goal of the Community Transformation Grants (CTG) is to reduce rates of adult obesity... more The overall goal of the Community Transformation Grants (CTG) is to reduce rates of adult obesity, tobacco use, and death and disability due to cardiovascular disease. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) was awarded 2 CTG which have provided the opportunity to develop a continuous quality improvement process for 52 funded communities. Individualized community progress reports were developed as a way to create uniform measures of effectiveness and set process targets, as well as community health goals. MDPH compiled data from 14 data sources to develop feedback reports for annual distribution. Small area estimation was used to calculate community-level estimates of three modifiable chronic disease risk factors: nutrition, physical activity, and smoking; and three chronic disease outcomes: hypertension, obesity, and heart disease. To provide a community-specific picture of the environment, data was collected on neighborhood walkability, park safety, and availability o...

INTRODUCTION: Perceived stress has been associated with obesogenic behaviors such as emotional ea... more INTRODUCTION: Perceived stress has been associated with obesogenic behaviors such as emotional eating and consumption of high-fat foods. We assessed perceived stress and its association with obesity in a random sample of residents living in communities participating in Mass in Motion (MiM) and non-MiM communities. MiM uses environmental approaches to promote healthy eating and active living in 52 Massachusetts communities. METHODS: Data were collected using a telephone survey of 1,262 residents age 18 and older. Perceived stress was measured using Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Body mass index (BMI) was calculated using self-reported height and weight. Logistic regression was used to estimate odd ratios for being obese (BMI ≥ 30) based on continuous perceived stress score while adjusting for gender, age, race/ethnicity, income, education, employment status, and marital status, as well as living in an MiM community. RESULTS: Mean PPS-10 score was 14.40, SD 4.72, with higher...

Childhood obesity (Print), Jan 9, 2015

Background: The Massachusetts Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration (MA-CORD) project is a 2-y... more Background: The Massachusetts Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration (MA-CORD) project is a 2-year, multilevel, multisector community intervention to prevent and control obesity among children 2-12 years of age from two predominantly low-income communities in Massachusetts. MA-CORD includes evidence-based interventions in multiple sectors, including community health centers, early care and education centers, schools, afterschool programs, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, and the broader community. Currently, implementation of MA-CORD is complete and the final year of data collection is in progress. Here, the MA-CORD evaluation plan is described and baseline data are presented. Methods/Design: The impact of MA-CORD on children's BMI, lifestyle behaviors, obesity-related care, and quality of life will be assessed using sector-specific, pre/post, time-series, and quasi-experimental designs. Change in the primary outcomes will be compared...