Award Date

5-1-2023

Degree Type

Doctoral Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)

Department

Physical Therapy

First Committee Member

Jason Ciccotelli

Second Committee Member

Daniel Young

Third Committee Member

Merrill Landers

Number of Pages

41

Abstract

The World Health Organization has classified childhood obesity as one of the most serious public health concerns in the world. Obesity is known to have detrimental health consequences and be a risk for comorbidities. On top of the consequences of obesity already seen in young children at school, a lack of health education interventions in many elementary schools remains a significant health disparity. Anatomy Academy (AA) is a seven-week curriculum designed to educate children about their bodies and the importance of gaining and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The purpose of this service-learning project was to educate elementary school students in North Las Vegas about the anatomy and physiology of the human body, nutrition, and exercise through the implementation of the AA curriculum. The elementary school students were asked to complete a pre- and post-quiz to analyze the quality of the program and the lessons' resonance with students. Out of the 39 elementary students who participated in the program, 16 took both the pre- and post-quiz. The results showed that the median of the pre- and post-quiz scores were equal, with no difference between the groups (median = 7, p = 0.797). Therefore, this may suggest that the quiz may not have been challenging enough for the elementary school students and should be conducted on a larger sample size. The elementary students and staff reported to the program coordinators their satisfaction with the program. Due to the low cost of the program’s activities and the topics being outlined in the curriculum, the program is an efficient and feasible program. Coordinators are also able to develop personal and professional growth. The program allows for community educational outreach with a younger population while providing opportunities for professional development for students in medical or allied health programs.

Keywords

Obesity; Health Education; Anatomy Academy; Anatomical Sciences Education; Elementary School Engaged Learning; Mentoring; Outreach Program; Service-Learning

Disciplines

Anatomy | Education | Physical Therapy | Physiology

File Format

pdf

File Size

322 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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