Disseminating a successful dietary intervention to faith communities: feasibility of using staff contact and encouragement to increase uptake

J Nutr Educ Behav. 2008 May-Jun;40(3):175-80. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2007.09.001.

Abstract

Objective: To test the feasibility of a dissemination strategy to increase faith communities' (FCs) adoption and implementation of a tested dietary intervention.

Design: The study was a randomized, controlled trial that took place over a 9-month period.

Setting: Seattle, Washington, metropolitan area.

Participants: Seven FCs assigned to an intervention group and five to a comparison group.

Intervention: All FCs received intervention materials, monetary support, and a Healthy Eating Coordinator (HEC), who was available to answer questions or provide assistance. Intervention FCs additionally received monthly contact from the HEC.

Main outcome measure: The main outcome measure was the number of intervention activities the FCs reported over the intervention period.

Analysis: The authors performed descriptive analyses and compared median number of activities performed by intervention and control FCs with Wilcoxon rank-sum tests.

Results: Intervention FCs implemented a median of 3 intervention activities, whereas control FCs implemented a median of 0 intervention activities (P = .05).

Conclusions and implications: These findings indicate that regular contact from HECs is a feasible dissemination strategy for FCs. Further research is needed to determine how to improve the effectiveness of this contact.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Female
  • Health Education / economics
  • Health Education / methods*
  • Health Education / organization & administration
  • Health Promotion / economics
  • Health Promotion / methods*
  • Health Promotion / organization & administration
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Nutritional Sciences / education*
  • Religion*