1. Creating Healthier Communities in the Rural West
Sally M. Davis, PhD
Prevention Research Center
University of New Mexico
A Healthier Rural West:
Critical Issues…Innovative Solutions
Stanford--The Rural West Initiative
March 24, 2017
Santa Fe, New Mexico

2. New Mexico’s Prevention Research Center Continuously funded by the CDC since 1994
The UNM PRC is one of 26 housed in universities across the country
Few PRC focus on rural/frontier populations
NM PRC works in partnership with rural/frontier communities to prevent disease and improve quality of live through evidence-based, innovative, feasible and culturally acceptable strategies, especially in populations bearing the greatest burden of disparities.

3. New Mexico is a Rural/Frontier State
5th largest land mass
6th most sparsely populated
1 in 4 New Mexicans live in communities < 2,500 people
5 of 33 NM counties are geographically larger than CT
As you’ll see, this is relevant because Rural communities face extra health challenges
US = 87 persons per sq mile
17.0 people per square mile vs. US 87.4 vs. GA 168.4
7.4 house per square mile vs. US 37.3 vs. 71.1
Source: US Census. Census 2010 Summary File 1

4. NM Health Disparities: Rural Communities Are Less Active
Frontier State’ means a State in which at least 50 percent of the counties in the State are frontier counties…counties in which the population per square mile is less than 6 or must drive more than 60miles for service
Nationally - Rural residents are more likely to be older, poorer, be in fair or poor health and have chronic conditions, use tobacco, and have higher rates of obesity, diabetes, cancer, injury, physical inactivity, and poor diet than other areas (Downey, 2013)
Source: New Mexico Department of Health. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

5. Community Academic Partnership VIVA—Step Into Cuba (Beta)
The cuba village serves as service point (postal, grocery, gas, etc.) for many smaller surrounding communities, Cuba Census County Division captures most of these
Participated in HIA – challenge to describe Cuba area vs. Sandoval County (contains 3rd largest city in NM)

6. Cuba CCD Demographics & Geography
Rural
Tri-ethnic
Under-resourced
Surrounded by Public Lands
Proximate to the Continental Divide Scenic Trail
Has a 40-bed dialysis center
Total Population
4,178
Race/ethnicity
American Indian
2,358
Hispanic
1,129
Non-Hispanic White
662
Other 29
Economic Indicator
Cuba CCD
New Mexico
In civilian labor force, but unemployed (%)
18.3
9.7
Annual income below poverty level (%)
All persons
41.5
20.4
Persons under 5 years of age
70.0
33.0
Person under 18 years of age
59.2
28.9
Persons 65 years of age or older
19.3
12.1

7. The Community Guide

8. Step Into Cuba – Evidence Base
VIVA--Step Into Cuba makes use of 6 recommended population-level strategies to promote physical activity recommended by the independent Task Force on Community Preventive Services:
Informational Approaches
Community-wide campaigns
Point-of-decision prompts
Behavioral and Social Approaches
Social support interventions
Individually-adapted health behavior change
Environmental and Policy Approaches
Enhanced access to places for physical activity combined with informational outreach
Street-scale design and land use policies and practices

9. Scaling the VIVA—Step Into Cuba Model
VIVA Connects currently 25 VIVA Action Communities
Goal 166 communities of 500–12,000 people
Creating a Collaborative Network
Creating a Tool Kit that uses a blended learning approach with asynchronous and synchronous learning platforms (website, portal, workshops)
Providing Technical Assistance, Community Assessment, Evaluation, Listserv, Mobile App (Trails Across New Mexico)
Evidence-base for quit line and water not from Community Guide

10. 166 communities between 500 – 12,000 people
Collective network of communities of practice

12. Thank You View Video
Access to Places