WISEWOMAN (Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation in Women Across the Nation)
Project Title
WISEWOMAN (Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation in Women Across the Nation)
Funding Dates
1995-2008
Description
WISEWOMAN was a CDC demonstration project designed to help low-income, women ages 40-64 years reduce their risk of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. WISEWOMAN preventive services included risk factor screenings, medical referrals, and lifestyle intervention programs that promote healthy eating, increased physical activity (PA), and smoking cessation. In collaboration with the NC Division of Public Health, several research studies were conducted to test the effectiveness of a lifestyle intervention program, A New Leaf…Choices for Healthy Living, among WISEWOMAN participants. From 1995-97, a pilot study was conducted in local health departments to test and refine the New Leaf lifestyle intervention program model. From 1998-2001, the model, which included the New Leaf computer-tailored maintenance intervention, was tested in multiple health departments. From 2002-05, the research was focused in a large community health center in Wilmington, NC, and tested a new component of the New Leaf program: a community resource linkages intervention that addressed community and environmental factors that may influence healthy lifestyle choices. In 2006, the research was translated into practice with the development of Community Links for Better Health, a step-by-step guide for creating tailored community resource tools that foster the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors.
Research Areas
Cardiovascular Health, Obesity, and Diabetes
Health Equity
Nutrition and Physical Activity
Rural Health
Additional Topics
Principal Investigator
Alice Ammerman, DrPH
Funding
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; NC Department of Health and Human Services