This unit is responsible for developing surveys to track policies and to map the physical and social environments pertaining to physical activity, nutrition, tobacco, and other risk factors that contribute to chronic diseases in schools, worksites, community, and health care settings.

Goals

• To develop tools and collect data on policies and environments affecting preventable risk factors for chronic disease.
• To make data reports available to the public and health care professionals.
• To provide data on policies and environments to chronic disease programs to assist them in developing intervention strategies and evaluating their effectiveness.

Data, Reports & Survey Questionnaires

Schools

2006 Georgia School Health Education Profile

The School Health Profiles Survey was conducted in Georgia in spring 2006. School principals and lead health education teachers from a representative sample of public middle and high schools completed the survey. Survey topics included health education requirements, health education coordination, physical education and physical activity programs, tobacco prevention policies, nutrition-related policies and practices, violence prevention, health services, and HIV prevention programs and policies.

• 2006 School Health Profiles Report 
• School Principal Questionnaire Part 1 
• School Principal Questionnaire Part 2 
• Lead Health Education Teacher Questionnaire 

2002 Georgia School Health Education Profile

The School Health Education Profile (SHEP) was conducted in Georgia in spring 2002. School principals and lead health education teachers from a representative sample of public middle and high schools completed the survey. Survey topics included health education requirements, health education coordination, physical education and physical activity programs, tobacco prevention policies, nutrition-related policies and practices, violence prevention, asthma management, and HIV prevention programs and policies.

• 2002 SHEP Survey Results 
• School Principal Questionnaire 
• Lead Health Education Teacher Questionnaire 

Worksites

2002 Georgia Worksite Health Promotion Policies and Practices Survey

The Georgia Worksite Health Promotion Policies and Practices Survey was conducted for the first time in 2002. This cross-sectional survey was adapted from the 1999 National Worksite Health Promotion Survey. The survey consisted of 69 questions relating to worksite policies and environments affecting physical activity, nutrition, and smoking practices of Georgia workers. Topics addressed include screenings, health education or behavior change programs, disease management programs, worksite opportunities for physical activity, healthy eating opportunities at the worksite, smoking policies, and funding of worksite wellness programs.

A stratified random sample of worksites was drawn based on the number of employees and industry type (SIC codes) resulting in 12 categories (4 industry type and 3 employee size categories). Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI) were conducted with the human resources or employee health directors at the selected worksites. A total of 1,085 interviews were completed and the data were weighted so that each stratum represented its true proportion in the worksite population.

• 2002 Georgia Worksite Health Promotion Policies and Practices Survey Questionnaire 
• Summary of Results from 2002 Georgia Worksite Health Promotion Policies and Practices Survey 

Community

Georgia Local Tobacco Ordinance Tracking Survey

The Local Tobacco Ordinance Tracking Survey catalogues ordinances related to the use and distribution of tobacco products from all municipal and county governments in Georgia. Ordinances pertaining to smoke-free indoor air, youth access to tobacco products, licensure, and advertising are included. The collected data are stored in a relational database enabling users to search and retrieve information on tobacco legislation for local governments in Georgia.

• Georgia Local Tobacco Ordinance Data Abstraction Tool 
• Tobacco Ordinance Information System

An observational survey of smoking provisions in food service establishments, Southeast Health District, Georgia, 2001 (MMWR)

In March 2001, the director of Georgia's Southeast Health District requested assistance from the Georgia Department of Public Health in developing a surveillance system to assess smoking provisions, such as designated smoking areas and ventilation systems, to minimize exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (secondhand smoke) in food service establishments. The survey was completed by sanitarians at the time of their routine food safety inspections.

Findings from the survey indicate that 69 percent of surveyed food establishments were completely smoke-free, 22 percent had separate smoking and non-smoking areas, and less than ten percent did not have separate smoking and non-smoking areas.

• Food Services Establishments Non-smoking Accommodation Observational Assessment Tool 

Health Care

2004 Georgia Health Plan Policies and Practices Survey Related to Cardiovascular Health

The Georgia Health Plan Policies and Practices Survey was conducted for the first time in 2004. The survey instrument was adapted from existing tools in Montana and New York. It included topics on policies and guidelines for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease; counseling and health education on physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco cessation; and assessment and counseling for high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with the Chief Medical Officer. This report summarizes the methods, results, and implications.

2004 Georgia Health Plan Survey Report 

Survey Questionnaire