Social Ecological ModelsPowerPoint PresentationSlide 3What is an Ecological Perspective?Why the ecological framework?By focusing on factors beyond the individual, we are…Slide 7Ecological Framework helps us with…Problem analysisSlide 10Slide 11Intervention DesignIndividual Level InterventionsSlide 14Interpersonal Level InterventionsSlide 16Organizational Level InterventionsSlide 18Community Level InterventionsSlide 20Population Level InterventionsSlide 22Slide 23Challenges to ecological interventionsSo…Social Ecological ModelsFall 2006 How can we begin to understand all of the factors that influence health?Ecological ModelFall 2006 CommunityPopulation/PolicyInstitutionsInterpersonalIndividualFall 2006 What is an Ecological Perspective?A framework that enables us to consider the influence of individual and environmental factors on health & health-related behaviorsFall 2006 Why the ecological framework?Health & health problems are complexHealth problems are influenced by multiple variablesThese variables interact with each otherMultiple levels are relevant for understanding & changing:–Human behavior–Complex environmentsFall 2006 By focusing on factors beyond the individual, we are…Less likely to ‘blame the victim’More likely to address the underlying determinants of health & health behaviorFall 2006 By focusing on factors beyond the individual, we are…Better able to see where action is neededUpstream action vs. Downstream approachesWhat do we mean by up/down stream approaches?Fall 2006 Ecological Framework helps us with…Problem analysis Intervention designIntervention evaluationFall 2006 Problem analysisPublic Health Problem DeterminantsPopulationCommunityOrganizationalInterpersonalIndividualFall 2006 CommunityPopulation/PolicyInstitutionsInterpersonalIndividualFall 2006 Youth Smoking DeterminantsPopulation/Policy Lack of law enforcement for selling to minors CommunityPositive attitudes toward smokingOrganizationalEasy availability of cigarettes at storesInterpersonalPopular kids smoke/parents smokeIndividualLack skills/self-efficacy to ‘just say no’Fall 2006 Intervention DesignPrevent or ameliorate existing problemsInterventions, at their best are…–Intended to Identify & shape solutionsSpecifying goals, objectives, activities–Theory-based–Designed by multi-disciplinary teams–Targeted at multiple levels–Able to maintain a broad (ecological) scopeFall 2006 Individual Level InterventionsTarget of change  Individual PersonFocus on characteristics of the individual –E.g., knowledge, attitudes, skills, beliefs…Fall 2006 Individual Level InterventionsWhat types of strategies might we use at this level?What type of individual level intervention would be useful in youth tobacco prevention?Fall 2006 Interpersonal Level InterventionsTarget of change  Social influences–E.g., family, work group, friendship networks…Focus on nature of social relationships–E.g., social norms, access to diverse & supportive networks/influencesFall 2006 Interpersonal Level InterventionsWhat types of strategies might we use at this level?What type of interpersonal level intervention would be useful in youth tobacco prevention?Fall 2006 Organizational Level InterventionsTarget of change  Organization/Institution–E.g., worksites, schools, agencies, churches…Focus on organizational culture–E.g., norms, rules & regulations, incentives & benefits, structuresFall 2006 Organizational Level InterventionsWhat types of strategies might we use at this level?What type of organizational level intervention would be useful in youth tobacco prevention?Fall 2006 Community Level InterventionsTarget of change  Social environmentFocus on community norms, values, attitudes, & power structuresFall 2006 Community Level InterventionsWhat types of strategies might we use at this level?What type of community level intervention would be useful in youth tobacco prevention?Fall 2006 Population Level InterventionsTarget of change  Local, state, & national laws & policiesFocus on government regulations & other regulatory processes, procedures, or laws to protect healthFall 2006 Population Level InterventionsWhat types of strategies might we use at this level?What type of population level intervention would be useful in youth tobacco prevention?Fall 2006 What types of health issues or health behaviors lend themselves to using the social-ecological model?Are there any issues that don’t?Fall 2006 Challenges to ecological interventionsA lot of work – involving several sectors of societyDifficult to evaluate change at environmental levelChallenge to translate interest in change into social norms and public policy –Powerful norms are hard to change–Budget cuts – so difficult to undertake wide-range interventions–Difficult to get certain health issues on public policy agendaStill, it’s being done!E.g., nutrition guidelines, tobacco, fitness, elder transportationFall 2006 So…The ecological framework emphasizes:–Relationships among behaviors, socio-political structures & health–Applying this framework allows us to:Determine & describe public health problemsMove beyond solely focusing on (& blaming) the ‘individual’Assess multi-level determinants of health & how to address themDesign, implement, & evaluate