WORKING TOGETHER TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE-BASED HEALTHY AGING PROGRAMS: PUBLIC HEALTH, AGING, AND UNIVERSITY COMMUNITIES Lucinda L. Bryant PhD MSHA MBA, University of Colorado at Denver & Health Sciences Center Mary Altpeter PhD MSW MPA, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Ellen Schneider MBA, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Nancy Whitelaw PhD MS, The National Council on the Aging American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting December 13, 2005

APHA Philadelphia December 2005 What Is Healthy Aging? The development and maintenance of optimal physical, mental and social well-being and function in older adults It is most likely to be achieved by:  physical environments and communities that are safe and support the adoption and maintenance of attitudes and behaviors known to promote health and well-being  the effective use of health services to prevent or minimize the impact of acute and chronic disease on function (Definition from the Healthy Aging Research Network)

APHA Philadelphia December 2005 The Problem Growing population of older adults Demand for health promotion programs Need to ensure  beneficial outcomes  cost-effectiveness  customer satisfaction Insufficient training or experience in development and implementation of evidence-based programs

APHA Philadelphia December 2005 One Solution: Partnerships  evidence; translation and evaluation expertise Aging Service Providers  practice expertise; access and networks Public Health Practitioners  population focus; programs and resources University Research Community Aging Service Providers Public Health Practitioners University Research Community

APHA Philadelphia December 2005 Benefits of Partnerships Shared resources Decreased burden Expanded reach Critical mass for action Decreased duplication of effort Increased and enhanced organizational capacity Combination of evidence-based knowledge and context-based knowledge (Green, Daniel & Novick 2001)

How to Provide Evidence-Based Healthy Aging Programs Partnerships to Implement Evidence-based Healthy Aging Programs

APHA Philadelphia December 2005 What Makes Programs Evidence- Based? Adapted from tested models or interventions Based on a body of facts or information that evaluates the validity (“truth”) of beliefs or assertions  Gold standard = Randomized Controlled Trial Developed within population-based ecological framework

APHA Philadelphia December 2005 Types of Evidence Planning: evidence about the health issue – “Something should be done” Program selection: evidence about a tested program, intervention or model that has been shown to address the health issue – “This should be done” Implementation: evidence about the design, context and attractiveness of the program to participants and other stakeholders – “How this should be done” (Source: Brownson, Baker, Leet, & Gillespie, 2003; Rychetnik, Hawe, Waters, Barratt, & Frommer, 2004)

APHA Philadelphia December 2005 Outline of Steps Planning and Partnering Program Selection: Translation and Program Development Implementation and Beyond  RE-AIM Structure

APHA Philadelphia December 2005 Planning and Partnering Something should be done Find partners - aging, health, research Identify health conditions and risk factors for older adults in the community

APHA Philadelphia December 2005 Program Selection: Translation and Program Development This should be done Review scientific evidence on proven, effective interventions or models Select interventions/models appropriate for the problem, the context, and the available resources

APHA Philadelphia December 2005 Implementation and Beyond How this should be done Importance of fidelity  Developed program retains the core components from the original intervention studies  Implemented program retains the core components from the developed program Evaluation and Maintenance RE-AIM provides one useful structure

APHA Philadelphia December 2005 RE-AIM Structure

Key Resources

APHA Philadelphia December 2005 Prevention Research Centers Healthy Aging Network (PRC-HAN) Provide evidence-based expertise to public health and aging services providers Fill healthy aging research gaps Identify interventions that promote healthy aging Assist in the translation into sustainable community-based programs Provide evaluation guidance

APHA Philadelphia December 2005 PRC-HAN

APHA Philadelphia December 2005 NCOA Resources Collect, develop, and disseminate information and tools to aging service providers  Issue Briefs  Readiness Tool  “Tracking Similarities and Differences” Tool

APHA Philadelphia December 2005 NCOA Resources

APHA Philadelphia December 2005 Contact Information Mary Altpeter Lucinda (Cindy) Bryant Ellen Schneider Nancy Whitelaw