African American adults are less likely to meet the recommended physical activity guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity than Caucasian adults. The purpose of this study was to assess whether a text message intervention would increase physical activity in this population. This pilot study used a pre-/post-questionnaire non-randomized design. Participants in a faith-based weight loss competition who agreed to participate in the text messaging were assigned to the intervention group (n = 52). Participants who declined to participate in the intervention, but agreed to participate in the study, were assigned to the control group (n = 30). The text messages provided strategies for increasing physical activity and were based on constructs of the Health Belief Model and the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model. Chi square tests determined the intervention group participants increased exercise time by approximately eight percent (p = 0.03), while the control group’s exercise time remained constant. The intervention group increased walking and running. The control group increased running. Most participants indicated that the health text messages were effective. The results of this pilot study suggest that text messaging may be an effective method for providing options for motivating individuals to increase physical activity.

Background: History has recorded the tremendous concerns and apprehension expressed by African Americans about participating in research studies. This review enumerates the collaborative techniques that were utilized by the Jackson State University (JSU) Jackson Heart Study (JHS) community-focused team to facilitate recruitment and retention of the JHS cohort and to implement health education and health promotion in the JHS communities. Methods: This review describes the evolution of the JSU JHS community initiatives, an innovative community-driven operation, during the period 1999–2018. Results: JSU JHS community-focused investigators published approximately 20 manuscripts, including community-led research and publications with community lead authors and co-authors, research and publications in collaboration with other JHS staff, through other JSU-funded projects. The JSU JHS community-focused unit also initiated the JHS Community Training Activities, developed the Community Health Advisory Network (CHAN), and trained and certified 137 Community Health Advisors. In addition, the JSU JHS community-focused unit developed the Collaborative Community Science Model (CCSM) that symbolized its approach to community engagement and outreach, and a Trust Scale for ascertaining African Americans’ willingness to engage in biomedical research collaborations. Conclusion: This review offers educators, public health professionals, and research investigators a useful starting point for the development, selection, or improvement of techniques to motivate, inspire, and engage community residents in a community–academia partnership that yielded maximum benefits in the areas of health education, health promotion and interventions, and biomedical research. Substantial, meaningful community engagement is possible when prioritizing elimination of health disparities and long-term improvement in health care access in the target populations.

Background: Community engagement is a critical component of health promotion programs that are aimed to close gaps in health disparities. There is a need for community collaborators to develop services to improve the quality of life for at-risk populations emphasizing a reduction of risk factors and premature morbidity and mortality. Aim: This study aims to assess strategies implemented by Jackson Heart Study Community Outreach Center (JHS CORC) to influence or motivate community engagement in health promotion activities which focused on reduction of health disparities and improvement of the health status of the communities in three counties. Methods: This was a quantitative, correlation study of the perceptions of JHS participants and other stakeholders who were purposively selected. A self-administered questionnaire was utilized that elicited comments and perceptions from 128 participants regarding five subject areas measuring community engagement: 1) Ways to increase participation in the community outreach activities; 2) reasons the respondents decided to participate in community outreach activities; 3) interest in participating in a community research study similar to the JHS; 4) the best way to communicate about community outreach activities; and 5) diseases that affect the communities the most. The investigation explored the participants' views of the five main subject areas as well as additional related supplemental questions accompanying each main category to gain an understanding of their perceptions based on demographic characteristics. Conclusion: It is important to encourage effective and sustainable community engagement in health promotion programs which focuses on closing gaps in health disparities and improving the health status of the communities. This research builds on the existing literature on productive academia-community partnership as it presents effective strategies that have been developed by the JHS CORC at Jackson State University (JSU). The framework of JSU CORC's strategies can be employed universally to promote health equity through prevention, education, training, and research, though elements may require tailoring for a given community.

Th e authors identifi ed the key characteristics of the Jackson Heart Study Community Outreach Center as it worked to embed a sustainable, positive impact on the surrounding communities by engaging community partners to facilitate the mission of the Jackson Heart Study. Th is report provides an overview of the practice and infrastructure.

Background: The use of mental health services by Latinos is only 7.3%, despite the high prevalence of depression rates of between 27.0% and 38.