The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if "prescribing" afterschool care to children at risk for poor heart health later in life increases their physical activity and improves their heart health. 'Prescriptions' will be provided by pediatricians at participating Federally Qualified Health Centers and vouchers to existing afterschool programs (e.g., YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs) will be provided by the research study. The main questions this study aims to answer are:
Can afterschool care providers and health care providers easily offer and keep using the voucher program?
Will families use the voucher? Do they go to afterschool care regularly, and do the families who use them represent a wide range or backgrounds?
Does going to afterschool care help children be more physical activity?
Does going to afterschool care improve heart health?
Researchers will compare two randomly assigned time periods; one semester when families get the voucher and one semester where they do not. They will look at whether use of the afterschool care voucher leads to more physical activity and improved heart health.
A child must be entering 1st-4th grade when recruited (i.e., 5-11 years old)
A child must have one or more cardiovascular risk factors as identified by a clinical care provider (i.e., obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia)
Attend an elementary school patterned with a participating afterschool program
Belong to a family at or below 250% of the federal poverty level
If the child does not meet the inclusion criteria for attending the participating afterschool programs (e.g., children that require specially trained staff to safely provide care),
If the child is pregnant
If it is unsafe for the child to participate in any of the study measures as determined by their clinical care provider (i.e., can not safely complete a 6-min walk test or finger stick)
Augusta University
Lead sponsor
American Heart Association
Collaborator