Characteristics of participants in a cancer prevention intervention designed for multiethnic workers in small manufacturing worksites.
OBJECTIVE
To examine worker characteristics explicated in our social-contextual intervention model that might be associated with participation in a cancer prevention intervention. These characteristics included sociodemographic variables, mediating mechanisms, and modifying conditions.


METHODS
Randomized, controlled study in 24 small multiethnic manufacturing worksites. Analyses were conducted on an embedded cohort of 456 employees in the intervention condition, incorporating the clustering of respondents in worksites using generalized linear mixed modeling methods. The intervention was based on an inclusive, comprehensive social-contextual model targeting fruit, vegetable, and red meat consumption, multivitamin use, and physical activity.


RESULTS
Gender (p = .02) and self-efficacy (p < .01) were associated with participation. There were no differences in participation by race/ethnicity or occupational status. We observed no associations between participation of individual workers in intervention activities and health behavior change.


CONCLUSIONS
The intervention attracted workers across racial/ethnic and occupational groups. The combination of a comprehensive intervention with wide diffusion of program messages may have been more powerful in influencing participation and behavior change than characteristics of individual employees.
Hunt
Mary K
MK
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Center for Community-Based Research, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. huntmk@comcast.com
Stoddard
Anne M
AM
Kaphingst
Kimberly A
KA
Sorensen
Glorian
G
D000328:Adult; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015397:Program Evaluation; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States; D014675:Vegetables; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology