title: Developing an evidence-based fall prevention curriculum for community health workers.
abstract: This perspective paper describes processes in the development of an evidence-based fall prevention curriculum for community health workers/promotores (CHW/P) that highlights the development of the curriculum and addresses: (1) the need and rationale for involving CHW/P in fall prevention; (2) involvement of CHW/P and content experts in the curriculum development; (3) best practices utilized in the curriculum development and training implementation; and (4) next steps for dissemination and utilization of the CHW/P fall prevention curriculum. The project team of CHW/P and content experts developed, pilot tested, and revised bilingual in-person training modules about fall prevention among older adults. The curriculum incorporated the following major themes: (1) fall risk factors and strategies to reduce/prevent falls; (2) communication strategies to reduce risk of falling and strategies for developing fall prevention plans; and (3) health behavior change theories utilized to prevent and reduce falls. Three separate fall prevention modules were developed for CHW/P and CHW/P Instructors to be used during in-person trainings. Module development incorporated a five-step process: (1) conduct informal focus groups with CHW/P to inform content development; (2) develop three in-person modules in English and Spanish with input from content experts; (3) pilot-test the modules with CHW/P; (4) refine and finalize modules based on pilot-test feedback; and (5) submit modules for approval of continuing education units. This project contributes to the existing evidence-based literature by examining the role of CHW/P in fall prevention among older adults. By including evidence-based communication strategies such as message tailoring, the curriculum design allows CHW/P to personalize the information for individuals, which can result in an effective dissemination of a curriculum that is evidence-based and culturally appropriate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center , Abilene, TX , USA.
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: St John
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatrics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, NC , USA.
authors.forename: Tiffany E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Shubert
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health, The University of Georgia , Athens, GA , USA.
authors.forename: Matthew Lee
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, NC , USA.
authors.forename: Cherie A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Rosemond
authors.affiliation: Program on Healthy Aging, Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health , College Station, TX , USA.
authors.forename: Doris A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication, Texas A&M University , College Station, TX , USA.
authors.forename: Christopher E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Beaudoin
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health , College Station, TX , USA.
authors.forename: Marcia G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ory
keywords: community health workers; curriculum development; fall prevention; older adults; promotores; training