. The primary purpose of this Demonstration and Information Dissemination Core (DIDP) is to educate the lay public, health providers, and students in health disciplines about the key research findings of the interventions studies, IS-1 and IS-2, on the role of exercise training and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in reducing physical frailty. In the first two years, before information from IS-1 and IS-2 is available, the DIDP will disseminate information regarding the roles of exercise in maintenance of health and functional capacity in late-middle age and early-old age from previous work at Washington University and other research centers. In the last three years of the proposed plan the DIDP will focus on disseminating the findings of IS-1 and IS-2. The ultimate desired outcome is the reduction of the physical frailty that often increases the risk of independence loss and nursing home admission. Grounded in Benner's staff development model (1984) and Rothman's research utilization protocol (1974), dissemination of the DIDP's educational material to target populations will be accompanied by a strong communications plan. The foundation of Benner's model is based on adult education and teaching principles and a communications plan; whereas, Rothman's utilization model involves the following five stages: a) translating key research findings from descriptive information to prescriptive strategies; b) targeting vulnerable populations and then health behaviors; c) developing high-intensity and low-intensity teaching modules; d) saturating vulnerable populations and their health providers through information d dissemination in communities, health care systems and professional schools; and e) evaluating training outcomes. A major goal of the DIDP is to disseminate information regarding the prevention and reversal of frailty to the African-American community in the St. Louis area, a population that is often not adequately reached by public health education programs. BJC Health System, in collaboration with Washington University, serves a diverse multicultural population in the St. Louis community. Traditionally, health systems and their academic counterparts have neglected community health prevention and promotion through their emphasis on acute care and technological advances. Thus, a this DIDP focuses on professional and academic education and on the dissemination of findings from the research of this OAIC.
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