FOR CENTER APPLICATION (provided by the investigators): The University of Washington Health Promotion Research Center (HPRC) proposes to build on its 22-year record of success as a Prevention Research Center that conducts innovative, community-based participatory research, dissemination, and training with our partners to promote healthy aging and reduce health disparities. Our collaborative work has relied on strong partnerships to develop, test, disseminate, and refine our health promotion interventions. HPRC's successful approach is reflected in three ongoing programs: 1) Since 1992, we have worked with Senior Services, a local not-for-profit organization, on EnhanceFitness (EF), a physical activity program that helps older adults become more active and less functionally impaired, incur fewer health care costs, and have fewer symptoms of depression. EF is now available in 269 locations in 26 states. 2) Since 1998, we have worked with Aging and Disability Services, a local governmental organization, on the Program to Encourage Active, Rewarding Lives for Seniors (PEARLS), a depression management program for homebound older adults that improves depression, functional and emotional wellbeing, and health care utilization. 3) Since 2001, we have worked with the American Cancer Society, a national voluntary organization, on Workplace Solutions, which has helped more than 700 employers nationwide improve their health-promoting programs and policies for their 2.5 million employees. In this application, we propose to further increase understanding of effective strategies for dissemination of evidence-based health promotion. The three aims of HPRC's Center Application are:
Aim 1) Further develop HPRC, a well-established multi-disciplinary Center that partners with communities, disseminates evidence-based programs, and trains students and community partners in promotion of healthy aging locally and nationwide.
Aim 2) Build the Healthy Aging Dissemination Research Project to develop and test dissemination strategies to increase organizations'use of evidence-based healthy aging practices in four areas: depression, fall prevention, physical activity, and workplace health promotion.
Aim 3) Evaluate our infrastructure and our activities and outputs in partnering, dissemination, training, and research to facilitate mid-course improvements and enable progress toward our longer-term outcomes, including increase of community capacity and resources for healthy aging and translation of research to practice and policy. HPRC's work aims to reduce health disparities by focusing on those at risk for poorer health. Our innovative proposed research project;experienced and expert investigators and staff;continued commitment to collaborative, community-based training, communication, dissemination, and evaluation activities;and successful community partnerships will lead to implementation of effective, practice-based health promotion in communities in the Pacific Northwest and across the nation.
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