Sisters Helping Sisters Project
Dr. Bonnie Braun and Dr. Elaine Anderson
Drs. Braun and Anderson are co-program evaluators of A Community Engagement Model: Sisters Helping Sisters Targeting Obesity in Young Women to Prevent the Development of Type II Diabetes, funded by US DHHS, Office of Women's Health. This community-based research intervention, in partnership with Washington County Hospital in Hagerstown, Maryland, is designed to implement strategies to prevent, reduce or eliminate health conditions associated with overweight and obesity among a population of rural, African-American young mothers. Among African-American women, the prevalence for diabetes is higher than other gender/race groups (34.5% & 30.0%) (Maryland DHMH, 2005). Results will be utilized to inform future interventions and research exploring factors that may affect intended change in behavior maximizing positive outcomes.

Food Insecurity Among Rural, Low-Income Families
Dr. Elaine Anderson and Dr. Bonnie Braun
Drs. Anderson and Braun are co-directors of the research project, Food Availability, Accessibility and Affordability: Perception and Reality of Factors Potentially Associated with Obesity Among Rural, Low-Income Families, funded by the School of Public Health. They are conducting a obesity-related food surveillance of a rural, low-income community, as well as a targeted survey of perceived household food security among low-income mothers. The instrumentation pilot tests are assessing the relationship between food availability, accessibility and affordability in relation to household food security. Instruments are being tested for use with future studies of similar populations and settings.