Disseminating a successful dietary intervention to faith communities: feasibility of using staff contact and encouragement to increase uptake.
OBJECTIVE
To test the feasibility of a dissemination strategy to increase faith communities' (FCs) adoption and implementation of a tested dietary intervention.


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


METHODS
Seattle, Washington, metropolitan area.


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


METHODS
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.


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


METHODS
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
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.
Hannon
Peggy A
PA
University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA. peggyh@u.washington.edu
Bowen
Deborah J
DJ
Christensen
Catherine L
CL
Kuniyuki
Alan
A
D000328:Adult; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education*; D012067:Religion