Jacob Szeszulski
Biographic Data
| ID | 5486564 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Jacob Szeszulski |
| GIVEN NAMES | Jacob |
| FAMILY NAME | Szeszulski |
| SIGNATURE | SZESZULSKI J |
| AFFILIATIONS | Center for Advancing Health |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-0709-5594 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 14 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 1 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 14 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2021 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Design and methodology of a cluster randomized factorial trial to optimize implementation strategies for the Healthy School Recognized Campus initiative
Background: The Healthy School Recognized Campus initiative bundles multiple school- and research-based programs for children and adults to improve physical activity and nutrition outcomes that affect cardiovascular disease risk. This study aims to test the individual and combined impact of three implementation strategies on implementation and effectiveness outcomes. Methods: = 16 total) of public elementary schools in North and East Texas will b…
Educators' perceived barriers and facilitators to implementing a school-based nutrition, physical activity, and civic engagement intervention
Introduction: Strong Teens for Healthy Schools (STHS) is a middle school program that focuses on improving healthy eating habits, physical activity, and engages students in civic engagement projects to promote healthy environments within schools. As a novel approach to school-based health interventions, this program faces numerous intervention implementation challenges. Methods: = 15) were conducted prior to implementing the program to inform pro…
Strong Teens for Healthy Schools
Early prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome (MetS) through healthy eating and physical activity are essential for reducing chronic disease risk among youth. The school food and physical activity environment significantly influences children's health behaviors. Yet, interventions targeting schools' health environments are sparse, and none empower middle school students to be change agents. We describe the process and rationale for evaluat…
Public health communication during the Covid-19 health crisis
This study aims to explore the perspectives of community leaders (CL) on trusted sources of health information, examine their roles, challenges, and needs in disseminating COVID-19 health information, and identify opportunities to improve public health reach and access for underserved communities. This qualitative study included seven focus groups conducted via online video conferencing from April-June 2021. The participants ( n = 9) were CL recr…
A qualitative exploration of the health needs and goals of urban women to inform the tailoring and adaptation of Strong Hearts Healthy Communities
The SHHC intervention and similar health programs for Black/African American and Hispanic/Latinx women in urban settings should emphasize individualized nutrition and practical skills for healthy eating with accessible, familiar, and enjoyable exercises. Additionally, stress management strategies should be culturally and generationally sensitive and social support, whether through family, friends, or other program participants, should be based on…
The role of the community café in addressing food security
Examining readiness for implementing practice changes in federally qualified health centers
Implementing evidence‐based interventions remains slow in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). The purpose of this study is to qualitatively examine the R = MC 2 ( R eadiness = m otivation × innovation specific c apacity × general c apacity) heuristic subcomponents in the context of implementing general and colorectal cancer screening (CRCS)‐related practice changes in FQHCs. We conducted 17 interviews with FQHC employees to examine (1) ex…
Understanding implementation strategies to support classroom-based physical activity approaches in elementary schools
Coordinated Health in Texas Elementary Schools’ Campus Improvement Plans
Schools signal health priorities through policies. Using a repeated cross-sectional study design, we compare the presence and strength of policies related to four topics-physical activity, nutrition, mental health, and bullying-described in elementary school Campus Improvement Plans (CIPs; also called school improvement plans) within Texas, across four Texas Public Health Regions (PHRs), and between 2016 and 2020. CIPs were collected using a mult…
Early Care and Education Center Environmental Factors Associated with Product- and Process-Based Locomotor Outcomes in Preschool-Age Children
Environmental characteristics of early care and education centers (ECECs) are an important context for preschool-aged children's development, but few studies have examined their relationship with children's locomotor skills. We examined the association between characteristics of the ECEC environment with quantitatively (i.e., product-based) and qualitatively (i.e., process-based) measured locomotor skills, using the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovasc…
Sustainability via Active Garden Education
Sustainability of intervention programming is challenging to achieve under real world conditions, since few models exist and many studies do not plan far beyond the funding period. Programming content in early care and education centers (ECECs) is often driven by guidelines. However, implementation is very sensitive to contextual factors, such as the setting and implementer (teacher) characteristics. This paper presents the model, definitions, an…
Evidence-Based Intervention (EBI) Mapping
EBI Mapping helps program planners understand the components and logic of an EBI. This information is important for selecting, adapting, and scaling-up EBIs. Accelerating and improving the use of existing EBIs can reduce the research-to-practice gap and improve population health
Use of School Wellness Policy Templates in One Texas Public Health Region
BACKGROUND: Federal law requires most school districts to develop school wellness policies (SWPs), which state agencies assist in by providing templates. Templates provide standard language, which districts may edit for numerous reasons. We aimed to identify the frequency/consistency of template usage and identify the types of edits districts make when using SWP templates. METHODS: We identified SWPs (N = 117) and templates (N = 2) from districts…
Physical Activity and Healthy Eating Programming in Schools to Support Student’s Health-Related Fitness
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines recommend schools use a coordinated health approach to support healthy eating and physical activity. This study examines whether the number of healthy eating and physical activity programs and activities used by schools and their perceived success relate to students' health-related fitness. This observational study used data from the Healthy Zone Schools Program. Data (collected in 2017-2019) were inte…
Use of School Wellness Policy Templates in One Texas Public Health Region
BACKGROUND: Federal law requires most school districts to develop school wellness policies (SWPs), which state agencies assist in by providing templates. Templates provide standard language, which districts may edit for numerous reasons. We aimed to identify the frequency/consistency of template usage and identify the types of edits districts make when using SWP templates. METHODS: We identified SWPs (N = 117) and templates (N = 2) from districts…
Physical Activity and Healthy Eating Programming in Schools to Support Student’s Health-Related Fitness
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines recommend schools use a coordinated health approach to support healthy eating and physical activity. This study examines whether the number of healthy eating and physical activity programs and activities used by schools and their perceived success relate to students' health-related fitness. This observational study used data from the Healthy Zone Schools Program. Data (collected in 2017-2019) were inte…
Understanding implementation strategies to support classroom-based physical activity approaches in elementary schools
Coordinated Health in Texas Elementary Schools’ Campus Improvement Plans
Schools signal health priorities through policies. Using a repeated cross-sectional study design, we compare the presence and strength of policies related to four topics-physical activity, nutrition, mental health, and bullying-described in elementary school Campus Improvement Plans (CIPs; also called school improvement plans) within Texas, across four Texas Public Health Regions (PHRs), and between 2016 and 2020. CIPs were collected using a mult…
Early Care and Education Center Environmental Factors Associated with Product- and Process-Based Locomotor Outcomes in Preschool-Age Children
Environmental characteristics of early care and education centers (ECECs) are an important context for preschool-aged children's development, but few studies have examined their relationship with children's locomotor skills. We examined the association between characteristics of the ECEC environment with quantitatively (i.e., product-based) and qualitatively (i.e., process-based) measured locomotor skills, using the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovasc…
Sustainability via Active Garden Education
Sustainability of intervention programming is challenging to achieve under real world conditions, since few models exist and many studies do not plan far beyond the funding period. Programming content in early care and education centers (ECECs) is often driven by guidelines. However, implementation is very sensitive to contextual factors, such as the setting and implementer (teacher) characteristics. This paper presents the model, definitions, an…
Evidence-Based Intervention (EBI) Mapping
EBI Mapping helps program planners understand the components and logic of an EBI. This information is important for selecting, adapting, and scaling-up EBIs. Accelerating and improving the use of existing EBIs can reduce the research-to-practice gap and improve population health
Examining readiness for implementing practice changes in federally qualified health centers
Implementing evidence‐based interventions remains slow in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). The purpose of this study is to qualitatively examine the R = MC 2 ( R eadiness = m otivation × innovation specific c apacity × general c apacity) heuristic subcomponents in the context of implementing general and colorectal cancer screening (CRCS)‐related practice changes in FQHCs. We conducted 17 interviews with FQHC employees to examine (1) ex…
Public health communication during the Covid-19 health crisis
This study aims to explore the perspectives of community leaders (CL) on trusted sources of health information, examine their roles, challenges, and needs in disseminating COVID-19 health information, and identify opportunities to improve public health reach and access for underserved communities. This qualitative study included seven focus groups conducted via online video conferencing from April-June 2021. The participants ( n = 9) were CL recr…
A qualitative exploration of the health needs and goals of urban women to inform the tailoring and adaptation of Strong Hearts Healthy Communities
The SHHC intervention and similar health programs for Black/African American and Hispanic/Latinx women in urban settings should emphasize individualized nutrition and practical skills for healthy eating with accessible, familiar, and enjoyable exercises. Additionally, stress management strategies should be culturally and generationally sensitive and social support, whether through family, friends, or other program participants, should be based on…
The role of the community café in addressing food security
Design and methodology of a cluster randomized factorial trial to optimize implementation strategies for the Healthy School Recognized Campus initiative
Background: The Healthy School Recognized Campus initiative bundles multiple school- and research-based programs for children and adults to improve physical activity and nutrition outcomes that affect cardiovascular disease risk. This study aims to test the individual and combined impact of three implementation strategies on implementation and effectiveness outcomes. Methods: = 16 total) of public elementary schools in North and East Texas will b…
Educators' perceived barriers and facilitators to implementing a school-based nutrition, physical activity, and civic engagement intervention
Introduction: Strong Teens for Healthy Schools (STHS) is a middle school program that focuses on improving healthy eating habits, physical activity, and engages students in civic engagement projects to promote healthy environments within schools. As a novel approach to school-based health interventions, this program faces numerous intervention implementation challenges. Methods: = 15) were conducted prior to implementing the program to inform pro…
Strong Teens for Healthy Schools
Early prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome (MetS) through healthy eating and physical activity are essential for reducing chronic disease risk among youth. The school food and physical activity environment significantly influences children's health behaviors. Yet, interventions targeting schools' health environments are sparse, and none empower middle school students to be change agents. We describe the process and rationale for evaluat…
Medicine (10 works) · Psychology (9 works) · Nursing (7 works) · Medical education (6 works) · Environmental health (5 works) · Health Policy Implementation Science (5 works) · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet (5 works) · Computer Science (4 works) · Geography (4 works) · Psychological intervention (4 works)