Term of Award

Summer 2024

Degree Name

Doctor of Public Health in Public Health Leadership (Dr.P.H.)

Document Type and Release Option

Dissertation (open access)

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Department

Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health

Committee Chair

Dziyana Nazaruk

Committee Member 1

Andrew Hansen

Committee Member 2

William Mase

Abstract

The increasing problem of obesity among Navy service members (SMs) is a public health concern that impacts operational readiness and health risks. To combat obesity, the Navy has an official weight management initiative called ShipShape. This project aimed to conduct a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis of ShipShape at a large Military Treatment Facility (MTF) in Portsmouth, Virginia. This program evaluation aimed to identify the internal and external factors that influenced the program's effectiveness to propose suggestions for improvement. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, the evaluation focused on conducting a paired t-test to analyze changes in Body Mass Index (BMI) using the Outcome Based Evaluation (OBE) framework and analyzing qualitative insights gathered from semi-structured interviews using the SWOT framework. The findings revealed that the ShipShape Program effectively reduced participant weight, thus meeting its primary objectives. However, opportunities for improvement identified included leveraging technology to enhance accessibility and address barriers identified among participants with travel and location issues.

Additionally, negative perceptions associated with participation in the program could be addressed through message framing in advertisements by promoting the program as inclusive and not punitive. A strategic plan was presented to program stakeholders as a blueprint using Kotter's 8-step method, incorporating insights from quantitative and qualitative analyses. Future research should assess the sustainability of health improvements and explore additional program components. By addressing the identified threats and weaknesses, building on existing strengths, and leveraging identified opportunities, this plan was designed to enhance the program's effectiveness and improve the health and operational readiness of Navy and Marine Corps servicemembers (SMs).

OCLC Number

1450369343

Research Data and Supplementary Material

Yes

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