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Using Process Evaluation for Implementation Success of Preschool-Based Programs for Obesity Prevention: The TX
Shreela V Sharma1, Ru-Jye Chuang1, Courtney Byrd-Williams2
1Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics & Environmental Sciences, Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, 1200 Pressler, RAS E603, Houston, TX 77030.
Insights
The Coordinated Approach To Child Health Early Childhood (CATCH EC) program showed higher implementation in Texas Head Start centers. This study evaluated CATCH EC
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Childhood Obesity Prevention
- Program Evaluation
Background:
- The Texas Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration study aimed to reduce obesity in low-income children aged 2-12 years.
- Primary prevention involved the Coordinated Approach To Child Health Early Childhood (CATCH EC) program in Head Start preschools.
- This paper details the process evaluation methods and results of the CATCH EC program over two years.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the implementation of the CATCH EC program in Head Start preschools.
- To assess the effectiveness of a system-oriented model for childhood obesity prevention.
Main Methods:
- A quasi-experimental design with serial cross-sectional data from Head Start centers in Houston and Austin, Texas.
- Process evaluation utilized surveys from center directors and teachers over two implementation years.
- Indices were developed to measure CATCH EC and non-CATCH health event implementation.
Main Results:
- Intervention centers demonstrated significantly higher implementation scores than comparison centers (p < .01).
- Variability in program implementation within intervention centers ranged from 55% to 95% across both years.
Conclusions:
- The study successfully evaluated the implementation of the CATCH EC program.
- Implementation index strategies can inform future evaluations of preschool-based obesity prevention programs.
Background:
Through the Texas Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration study, we implemented and evaluated a system-oriented model of primary and secondary prevention approaches to mitigate obesity among low-income Texas children aged 2 to 12 years. Primary prevention included implementing the Coordinated Approach To Child Health Early Childhood (CATCH EC) program in Head Start preschools. In this paper, we describe the methods and results of CATCH EC program process evaluation over 2 years of implementation.
Methods:
We used a quasi-experimental design with serial cross-sectional data collected from Head Start centers across intervention and comparison catchment areas in Houston and Austin, Texas (intervention: N = 12 centers in 2012-2013 [Year 1], N = 12 in 2013-2014 [Year 2]; comparison: N = 13 centers in Year 1, N = 12 in Year 2). Process evaluation included center director and teacher surveys conducted in both years of implementation. We developed indices for implementation of CATCH EC and non-CATCH health events at the centers.
Results:
Implementation scores were higher among intervention centers as compared to comparison centers across both years of implementation, and these differences were statistically significant (p < .01). There was also high variability in program implementation in intervention centers across both years ranging from 55% to 95%.
Conclusion:
These implementation index strategies may inform future evaluation of preschool-based obesity prevention program implementation.
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