Resource guide: Child health research
Published: October 2, 2024
October is National Children's Health Month, an opportunity to highlight the importance of protecting and improving the health of all children under the age of 18. The Center is committed to advancing child health through research, education, and community engagement. We hope you will join us in supporting children’s health by sharing the research resources below!
RESEARCH AND RESOURCES:
Children's health plays a critical role in their long-term well-being. The Center has developed an array of evidence-based resources and research aimed at supporting child health, including practical strategies that promote healthy development and ensure a healthier future for our children.
CATCH (Coordinated Approach To Child Health) is a school-based health program designed to promote physical activity and healthy food choices and prevent tobacco use. CATCH transforms a child’s environment, culture, and society by coordinating child health efforts across all aspects of the educational experience: classroom, food services, physical education, and family.
Texas School Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (TX SPAN) is a statewide serial cross-sectional surveillance study that measures the health status of school-aged children by collecting state-representative data about their diets, activity levels, and other related behaviors. It is designed to be representative of the Texas school-aged populations in grades 2, 4, 8, and 11. NEW data are coming soon!
Texas Child Health Status Reports are a series of user-friendly materials, including reports and one-pagers, that highlight the status of child health in Texas, with a focus on health disparities. NEW reports are coming soon!
Texas Child Health Toolkits help you learn about and advocate for child health at home and school, and in your community. The toolkits help raise awareness of child health risk factors — including child obesity — to develop new programs and actions and build on current initiatives in Texas.
STREETS (Safe TRavel Environment Evaluation in Texas Schools) is a natural experiment that is evaluating the City of Austin Safe Routes to School program. In 2016, the City of Austin approved $27.5 million in Mobility Bond Funds for Safe Routes to School infrastructure projects, including protected bike lanes, pedestrian islands, shared use paths, and pedestrian hybrid beacons. Center investigators are evaluating these transformative infrastructure changes.
Texas Research-to-Policy Collaboration (TX RPC) Resources provide data-driven informational documents tailored to legislative districts, offering valuable research for developing and implementing health policies across Texas.
Our Center blogs curate research and resources by subject, as well as insights from our esteemed faculty.
WEBINARS
The Center’s webinar archive houses expert discussions on a wide range of public health topics. Some recent presentations addressed child health:
The Impact of Climate Change on Child Health
Youth/Child Cardiovascular and Environmental Health: Perspectives from South America
Tucker’s Law & Best Practices in Youth Substance Misuse Prevention
Evaluation of Texas Opt-in Policy for Sex Education and Abuse Prevention
Maternal Child Health in Texas: A Continuing Crisis
CATCH Healthy Smiles - Let's Talk About Kids' Oral Health
Book Launch: When Are We Going to Teach Health?
Discussion