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Educating Youth About Health and Science Using a Partnership Between an Academic Medical Center and Community-based Science Museum

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Abstract

Declining student interest and scholastic abilities in the sciences are concerns for the health professions. Additionally, the National Institutes of Health is committed to promoting more research on health behaviors among US youth, where one of the most striking contemporary issues is obesity. This paper reports findings on the impact of a partnership between Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry linked to a 17-week exhibition of BodyWorlds3 and designed to inform rural underserved youth about science and health research. Self-administered survey measures included health knowledge, attitudes, intended health behaviors, and interest in the health professions. Four hundred four surveys (88% of participants) were included in analyses. Ninety percent or more found both the BodyWorlds (n = 404) and OHSU (n = 239) exhibits interesting. Dental care habits showed the highest level of intended behavior change (Dental = 45%, Exercise = 34%, Eating = 30%). Overall, females and middle school students were more likely than male and high school students, respectively, to state an intention to change exercise, eating and dental care habits. Females and high school students were more likely to have considered a career in health or science prior to their exhibit visit and, following the exhibit, were more likely to report that this intention had been reinforced. About 6% of those who had not previously considered a career in health or science (n = 225) reported being more likely to do so after viewing the exhibits. In conclusion, high quality experiential learning best created by community-academic partnerships appears to have the ability to stimulate interest and influence intentions to change health behaviors among middle and high school students.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge the staff at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry for their work on the BodyWorlds 3 exhibit and the Science in the City program. We would also like to acknowledge Susan Shugerman, Director of the OHSU Office of Science Education Opportunities, who provided much valuable insight during the evaluation and manuscript process. This publication was made possible with support from the Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute (OCTRI), grant number UL1RR024140 from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and NIH roadmap for Medical Research and SEPA grant R25RR20443.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd., Mail Code: FM, Portland, OR, 97239, USA

    Arwen E. Bunce & Patricia A. Carney

  2. Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd., Mail Code: NRC04, Portland, OR, 97239, USA

    Susan Griest & Linda C. Howarth

  3. School of Dentistry, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd., Mail code: SD, Portland, OR, 97239, USA

    Phyllis Beemsterboer

  4. Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd., Mail code: L470, Portland, OR, 97239, USA

    William Cameron

Authors
  1. Arwen E. Bunce
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  2. Susan Griest
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  3. Linda C. Howarth
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  4. Phyllis Beemsterboer
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  5. William Cameron
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  6. Patricia A. Carney
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Correspondence to Arwen E. Bunce.

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Bunce, A.E., Griest, S., Howarth, L.C. et al. Educating Youth About Health and Science Using a Partnership Between an Academic Medical Center and Community-based Science Museum. J Community Health 34, 262–270 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-009-9157-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-009-9157-5

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