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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Aug 1.
Published in final edited form as: Clin Transl Sci. 2014 May 19;7(4):300–306. doi: 10.1111/cts.12168

Table 4.

Overview of Pilot Studies Selected by the Four Community Health 571 Improvement and Research Partnerships (CHIRPs)

Lincoln County Linn County Jefferson County Crook County
Potential
Research
Questions *
19 13 10 8
Selected
Research
Question
Does participation
in the Shopping
(Cooking) Matters
program by high
school students
affect
understanding of
nutrition labels and
shopping patterns?
Are Pick of Month
(POM) food flyers
more effective
when used in
conjunction with
tasting tables in
schools?
Will elementary
students continue
to drink milk if
chocolate milk is
no longer an
option in the
lunchroom?
What are the
facilitators and
barriers in using
recreation services
and programs in
Crook County?
Methods The CHIRP
partnered with a
local high school to
deliver the
curriculum, and
used mixed
methods (food
quality,
observational
fieldnotes) to
evaluate student
shopping patterns
before and after
receiving the
training.
Six regional
elementary
schools with and
without tasting
tables were
matched based
on ethnicity,
students on free-
and-reduced
lunch. Parents
received a survey
exploring nutrition
habits and
exposure to the
POM flier.
A partnering K-2
elementary
removed flavored
milk from the
school lunch menu
for three weeks.
We evaluated the
impact on student
beverage
consumption and
behaviors using
mixed methods
(observational
fieldnotes,
beverage waste).
Key informant
interviews with 40
non-, low-,
medium-, and high-
users of local Parks
& Recreation
services.
Results
Summary
The CHIRP
recorded
observations and
collected nutrition
label readings, but
end-of year
conflicts limited
participation levels.
Despite interest,
Spanish speaking
families used the
flyers at a much
lower rate.
Adults, rather than
students, were
resistant to
changes. White
milk drinkers
obtained more
protein and
calcium, and less
sugar.
Positive awareness
and access to
offerings. Limited
services for teen,
park safety, and
bike path
inadequacies
identified for
improvement.
Actions or
Next Steps
The coalition is
exploring
opportunities to
repeat the study.
A small-group is
improving POM
flier readability
and translating it
into Spanish.
The group is
working with
school officials to
reduce or remove
chocolate milk
from school
lunches.
Findings used to
obtain a grant to
build a new bike
path and as part of
an ongoing
environmental
scan.
*

Number of PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcomes) Statements 573 Identified by CHIRP members.