INTEGRATING HEALTH PROMOTION AND EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE IN A DPT CURRICULUM. Jennifer Sidelinker* Physical Therapy, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA UNIQUE: The area of health promotion is a developing one in the physical therapy profession, but increasingly important in the advent of an increased cultural awareness of wellness, and continued cost-cutting measures by health insurers. The health promotion project completed by entry level DPT students requires each group to use evidence in generating a plan and carrying out an educational and/or screening program in culturally and age-diverse populations in the local community. PURPOSE: The purpose of this project is for students to learn, through active participation in real-life experience, how health promotion and wellness education fit into evedence-based practice of physical therapy. FOUNDATION: In the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice and the model definition of physical therapy for State Practice Acts the roles of the physical therapist are outlined. These roles include: preventing injury, impairment, functional limitation, and disability, as well as engaging in consultation and education. Further, the Guide states that physical therapists conduct systematic, problem-focused screens to determine the need for prevention services, examination, consultation, or referral to other professionals. DESCRIPTION: The health promotion project is a semester long and consists of several parts. The faculty advisor identifies sites and self-selected student groups of 3-5 members then choose from a list of projects in a variety of populations. Project requirements include: 1) institutional approval by the IRB to conduct screenings and collect data; 2) an outline of proposed screening or educational event in the target population, followed by a 3) paper describing purpose and methods, including all data collection sheets developed and educational materials provided; 4) a 10-page literature review of the epidemiology of the problem, need for the program, and justification for each of the tests/measures or key concepts chosen for the program; 5) conducting the screen or educational session and collecting data and 6) a final report of the program including demographics, descriptive statistics of data collected, suggested follow-up activities, and successes/limitations of the program. Three classes of final year DPT students have completed the health promotion project requirements as described above. 162 people underwent screening or education the first year, 227 people the second year, and 384 people the third year. The ages of the participants ranged from 5 to 99 years. Participants were of African American, Asian, Caucasian, or Hispanic descent. Participants included students, workers, and retirees. Programs included: fitness and nutrition education in kindergarten children, backpack/postural screening in school-aged children, injury prevention in a youth football program, flexibility screening in youth and adolescent karate students, osteoporosis education in adolescent females, identifying risk factors for back pain and/or injury in children and adults, fitness education for 1st year college students, baseline neurological screening and concussion education in college athletes, assessing the potential for carpal tunnel syndrome in office workers, back education in an industrial setting, fitness screening in an alternative health setting, diabetic foot screening, and fall risk assessment among stroke survivors and frail community dwelling elders. OBSERVATIONS: Response to this program has been positive in all areas. Students consistently provide positive feedback because it is "real life" experience, provides an opportunity to serve a population of interest to them, and increases confidence in their ability to conduct a similar activity after graduation. There has also been positive feedback from cooperating groups and organizations, as the number of invitations for repeat programs and new contacts increase annually. Future development of the health promotion project will include assessing outcomes in the impact of programs on target popualtions, and impact on students in the area of knowledge and application of health promotion in the clinical setting. CONCLUSIONS: Physical therapists' increasing role in prevention and in promotion of health, wellness, and fitness can be introduced in entry level curricula. This program represents a comprehensive means of integrating the concepts of health promotion and evidence-based practice. FUNDING SOURCE: Pennsylvania's Southeast Area Health Education Center (AHEC) KEYWORDS: Evidence Based Practice, Health Education, Screening, Health Promotion Copyright 2009 by the American Physical Therapy Association. Requests for reprints should be directed to the corresponding author of the article. Educators, students, and other academic customers may receive permission to reprint copyrighted material from Physical Therapy (ISSN 1538-6724) by contacting the Copyright Clearance Center Inc, 222 Rosewood Dr, Danvers, MA 01923. Other types of customers who want permission to reprint should contact the APTA Editorial Office, Attn: Physical Therapy.