CDC initially funded the UAB Center for Health Promotion(CHP) in 1993. Since then the CHP has successfully conducted community-based research projects to reduce risk for chronic diseases in impoverished, rural communities in Alabama's Black Belt and attracted a broadly interdisciplinary faculty from across UAB (10 of 12 schools), other state institutions of higher education,and the state health and education departments, including 37 administrative units. Building on a history of highly acclaimed research and training programs integrated with multiple institutions and agencies across the state, this application describes a bold project called Flying Sparks that dramatically increases community-based health promotion activities throughout the Black Belt. FlyingSparkswill expand the CHPs expertise to explore the determinants of community adoption,ownership,and enhancement of the Community HealthAdvisor(CHA) intervention strategies. It tests the requirements for rapid dissemination of these programs to multiple communities simutaneously. These efforts are supported bythe CHP score infrastructure,which includes personnel and facilities for high quality evaluation, community organization and capacity building, production and dissemination of tailored health promotion materials, and training and research. Our mission remains to bridge the gap between public health science and practice in risk reduction strategies across the lifespan among African-American and other underserved communities. Flying Sparks will determine the long-term benefits of efforts to build community capacity to address risk factors in these communities. Crucial to this strategy is evaluating the appropriateness of Flying Sparks as a dissemination model and understanding the community dimensions that influence dissemination, adoption, and maintenance of risk reduction programs.
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