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Service-Learning Nutrition Program UCHSC School of Pharmacy. Catherine Jarvis, PharmD, BCNSP Presented at CCPH Summer Service-Learning Institute June 2005. What is service-learning?. Students meet the learning objectives of the curriculum by performing a service to the community
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Service-Learning Nutrition ProgramUCHSC School of Pharmacy Catherine Jarvis, PharmD, BCNSP Presented at CCPH Summer Service-Learning Institute June 2005
What is service-learning? • Students meet the learning objectives of the curriculum by performing a service to the community • Students and community benefit • Curriculum is extended beyond the lecture hall • Students apply learning to real world situations • Students develop a sense of civic responsibility • Students reflect on their experiences
How does service-learning fit into the pharmacy curriculum? • Provides real life, complex, social situations for students to explore: • Communication • Social, ethical, cultural issues • Personal biases, assumptions & prejudices • Adapting messages to their audience • Decision making • Context of healthcare in society
Why nutrition for elementary school students? • Nutrition is a basic, health-related topic • Rates of obesity are rising dramatically across the US, particularly among children of minority groups • Children are much more likely to change and adopt new dietary practices as compared to adults • Children are an amenable audience
Why nutrition for elementary school students? • Children influence the dietary practices of their families • Obesity is strongly correlated with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other diseases commonly encountered by practicing pharmacists • A foundation of basic nutrition knowledge is important for practicing pharmacists
What is the service-learning nutrition program at CU? • Required course, 1st year pharmacy students • Each pharmacy student matched to a group of 3 to 4 elementary school students • Elementary school classroom one hour per week for seven weeks • Pharmacy students submit written reflection assignments
What is the service-learning nutrition program at CU? • Preparatory work • Elementary school visits • Reflection assignments • Quiz and survey
What is the service-learning nutrition program at CU? • The six module topics: • The food guide pyramid • Variety and balance • Grains & breakfast • Fruits, vegetables & snacks • Dairy, meats & portion sizes • Fats, oils & sweets
Elementary School Demographics • 325 Elementary school children • Grades kindergarten to 5th grade • Ethnicity • 75% Hispanic • 25% African American • Language • 25% English as a second language • 9% Spanish speaking only • 95% Qualify for free or reduced lunch program
What is the service-learning nutrition program at CU? • Each elementary school visit consists of: • 1. A major nutrition concept & activity
What is the service-learning nutrition program at CU? • Each elementary school visit consists of: • 2. A physical activity emphasizing nutrition concepts
What is the service-learning nutrition program at CU? • Each visit consists of: • 3. Tasting of foods
What were the results from the first year? • Cereal • Banana • Carrot n=253 • Chicken average correct = • Milk 5.5 out of 6 • Cookie
What were the results from the first year? • n=249 percent correct 83% • Turkey sandwich, apple, skim milk • Cheeseburger, French fries, Pepsi • Fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, whole milk
Pharmacy Student Survey n = 85
Pharmacy Student Survey n = 85
Pharmacy Student Reflections • “I really believe that because of this, coupled with the excitement of the activities, they are going home and telling their parents about it, and perhaps requesting healthier snacks” • “What we have accomplished with the children is spectacular. In my wildest dreams, I never thought that the children would be able to change their eating habits as well as their family’s eating habits”
Pharmacy Student Reflections • “Through this experience, I have learned that I have to treat each child and family member as a different and unique individual” • “This is not a role that I am playing for my instructor with my other classmates, these are not just words I am repeating from a book. I am being responsible for someone obtaining knowledge from me as if I were in a pharmacy setting.”
Pharmacy Student Reflections • “This experience is enabling me to learn how to use less complicated language without “talking down” to people” • “I have had to step back and think about how to approach some topics in order to ensure that I come across in a manner that the kids will understand. In the healthcare world, I want to be very conscious of the fact that people may not understand, so I can have the patience and knowledge to explain anything to them until they feel the concept is 100% clear.”
Acknowledgements • SOP students • Vickie James • Cooking Light • SOP Faculty • Chris Turner • Joel Giles • SOP Curriculum Committee