The University of New Mexico Prevention Research Center (PRC) engages rural communities to promote physical activity through creative adaptation of recommended evidence-based strategies. Partnering with Cuba, NM since 2009, VIVA—Step Into Cuba has studied the community’s successful translation and implementation of US Community Preventive Services Task Force (Community Guide) recommendations. It became the model for scaling up physical activity interventions to other rural communities, and spawned three more community-engaged studies, VIVA Connects, VIVA Connects Action Communities, and Healthy Places—Healthy People.
Using mixed methods, PRC researchers and their community partners study the processes, including barriers and facilitators, of putting research findings into practice. Dissemination of lessons learned are framed for presentation by community context, readiness, adaptability, and sustainability.
Each year the VIVA Connects team awards communities with mini-grants in order to complete a project to increase physical activity and help educate the community on how to decrease risk of cancer. Technical assistance is provided by the VIVA team during the year long project. For more information please visit https://hsc.unm.edu/medicine/departments/pediatrics/divisions/pps/initiatives/viva/, or email Laurel Fimbel at preventionresearchcenterunm@gmail.com.
The University of New Mexico Prevention Research Center addresses the needs of under-represented populations through community-engaged research and evidence-based dissemination and training. Using rigorous science, multidisciplinary teams and diverse partners, we develop, study and translate community interventions. Our approach to research is inclusive, respectful, culturally appropriate, and economically and geographically feasible.
2703 Frontier Ave NE Research Incubator Building (RIB) Suite 120