Creating Cultures of Health in the Academy

Bringing Together Top-Down and Ground-Up Approaches

Bibliographic Data

ID21650883
AuthorsA M Cheney (0000-0002-4032-6692, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA, corresponding author), Evelyn Vázquez (0000-0002-3781-7466, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA), Julie Chobdee (University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA)
Year2024
Volume51
Issue3
Pages436-445
Publication date2024-06-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth Education & Behavior (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1090-1981 • E-ISSN: 1552-6127
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/10901981231151628
PMID36794780
OpenAlexW4321003766
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited16

This article reports on a 3-year longitudinal study focused on the impact of cross-sector, collective impact approaches to creating cultures of campus health. The study sought to understand the integration of health and well-being concepts into university operations, including business practices and policies, as well as the contribution of public health initiatives focused on health-promoting universities to creating cultures of campus health for students, staff, and faculty. Research was carried out from spring 2018 to spring 2020 via focus group data collection and rapid qualitative analysis involving template and matrix analysis. A total of 18 focus groups were conducted across the 3-year study, six with students, eight with staff, and four with faculty. The initial cohort included 70 participants: 26 students, 31 staff, and 13 faculty. Qualitative analysis findings indicate a general pattern of change over time from a primary focus on well-being characterized by programs and services (e.g., fitness classes) to policy and structural-level interventions (e.g., stairwell beautification and hydration stations) promoting well-being for all. Grass-top and grassroots leadership and action were instrumental to changes in working and learning environments, policies, and campus environment/infrastructure. This work contributes to the growing literature on health-promoting universities and colleges and demonstrates the critical role of both top-down and ground-up approaches and leadership efforts to create more equitable and sustainable cultures of campus health and well-being

Focus group · Grassroots · Health education · Health promotion · Medical education · Political science · Public health · Public relations · Sociology · Health and Lifestyle Studies · Health and Wellbeing Research · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology · School Health and Nursing Education