Creating and Using Index Scores in the Analysis of School Policy Implementation and Impact

BACKGROUND: Epidemic increases in childhood obesity and associated health risks are resulting in efforts to implement school policies related to nutrition and physical activity (NPA). With multicomponent policy efforts, challenges exist in characterizing the extent of policy change across the breadt...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of school health 2012-06, Vol.82 (6), p.253-261
Main Authors: Phillips, Martha M., Goodell, Melanie, Raczynski, James M., Philyaw Perez, Amanda G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Arkansas
Arkansas - epidemiology
Child Health
Childhood obesity
Children
Elementary Schools
Enrollment
Evaluation Studies as Topic
Government regulation
Health aspects
Health Promotion
Health Promotion - methods
Health risks
Health Surveys
High Schools
Humans
Indexes
Institutional Characteristics
Laws, regulations and rules
legislation
Low Income Groups
Meals
Middle Schools
Minority Group Students
Motor Activity
Nursing
Nutrition
Nutrition Surveys - methods
Nutritional Status
Obese children
Obesity
Obesity - epidemiology
Obesity - nursing
Obesity - prevention & control
Obesity in children
Organizational Policy
Physical Activities
Physical activity
Physical Education
Physical fitness
policy
Policy making
Promotion
Prospective Studies
Public Schools
Risk assessment
school health
School Health Services - legislation & jurisprudence
School Location
School Nursing - legislation & jurisprudence
School Nursing - methods
School Nursing - trends
School Policy
schools
Social Marketing
State Legislation
Student health services
Surveys
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Summary:BACKGROUND: Epidemic increases in childhood obesity and associated health risks are resulting in efforts to implement school policies related to nutrition and physical activity (NPA). With multicomponent policy efforts, challenges exist in characterizing the extent of policy change across the breadth of NPA policies. METHODS: Aggregated policy indices were created to characterize NPA policy implementation in Arkansas public schools from 2004 through 2009. Index scores are presented by year, domain, and school level. RESULTS: Both mean and median index scores increased over time, with greater changes seen in nutrition than in physical activity policy scores. The composite index score was heavily dependent on the nutrition index score and, thus, is relatively less useful for the purposes of our evaluation. Policy index scores varied by school level, rurality, enrollment size, and percentage of students eligible for federal meal programs. CONCLUSIONS: The policy index approach facilitates the consideration of the effect of school policy change in a holistic, aggregated way. School characteristics influence policy adoption, and thus, should be taken into consideration in the promotion of policy change.
ISSN:0022-4391
1746-1561
DOI:10.1111/j.1746-1561.2012.00695.x