title: Factors influencing the adoption of a healthy eating campaign by federal cross-sector partners: a qualitative study.
abstract: The Eat Well Campaign (EWC) was a social marketing campaign developed by Health Canada and disseminated to the public with the help of cross-sector partners. The purpose of this study was to describe factors that influenced cross-sector partners' decision to adopt the EWC.
  
  
  
  Thematic content analysis, based primarily on an a priori codebook of constructs from Roger's diffusion of innovations decision process model, was conducted on hour-long semi-structured telephone interviews with Health Canada's cross-sector partners (n = 18).
  
  
  
  Dominant themes influencing cross-sector partners' decision to adopt the EWC were: high compatibility with the organization's values; being associated with Health Canada; and low perceived complexity of activities. Several adopters indicated that social norms (e.g., knowing that other organizations in their network were involved in the collaboration) played a strong role in their decision to participate, particularly for food retailers and small organizations. The opportunity itself to work in partnership with Health Canada and other organizations was seen as a prominent relative advantage by many organizations. Adopters were characterized as having high social participation and positive attitudes towards health, new ideas and Health Canada. The lack of exposure to the mass media channels used to diffuse the campaign and reserved attitudes towards Health Canada were prominent obstacles identified by a minority of health organizations, which challenged the decision to adopt the EWC. Most other barriers were considered as minor challenges and did not appear to impede the adoption process.
  
  
  
  Understanding factors that influence cross-sector adoption of nutrition initiatives can help decision makers target the most appropriate partners to advance public health objectives. Government health agencies are likely to find strong partners in organizations that share the same values as the initiative, have positive attitudes towards health, are extremely implicated in social causes and value the notion of partnership.
authors: Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Université Laval, Pavillon des Services, 2440 Hochelaga Blvd., Quebec, QC, G1C 0A6, Canada.|School of Nutrition, Université Laval, Pavillon Paul-Comtois, 2425, rue de l'Agriculture, local 1122, Quebec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
authors: Melissa Anne
authors: MA
authors: Fernandez
authors: Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Université Laval, Pavillon des Services, 2440 Hochelaga Blvd., Quebec, QC, G1C 0A6, Canada.|School of Nutrition, Université Laval, Pavillon Paul-Comtois, 2425, rue de l'Agriculture, local 1122, Quebec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
authors: Sophie
authors: S
authors: Desroches
authors: Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Université Laval, Pavillon des Services, 2440 Hochelaga Blvd., Quebec, QC, G1C 0A6, Canada.
authors: Mylène
authors: M
authors: Turcotte
authors: Department of Nutrition, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, CP 6128, succursale Centre-ville, Montreal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada.
authors: Marie
authors: M
authors: Marquis
authors: Department of Anthropology, Université Laval, Pavillon Charles-De Koninck, bureau 3431, 1030, avenue des Sciences-Humaines, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
authors: Joëlle
authors: J
authors: Dufour
authors: Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Université Laval, Pavillon des Services, 2440 Hochelaga Blvd., Quebec, QC, G1C 0A6, Canada. veronique.provencher@fsaa.ulaval.ca.|School of Nutrition, Université Laval, Pavillon Paul-Comtois, 2425, rue de l'Agriculture, local 1122, Quebec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada. veronique.provencher@fsaa.ulaval.ca.
authors: Véronique
authors: 0000-0002-0404-8883
authors: V
authors: Provencher
mesh_terms: D001290:Attitude; D002170:Canada; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D000072001:Diet, Healthy; D006077:Government Agencies; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D009938:Organizations; D017149:Private Sector; D011634:Public Health; D017150:Public Sector; D055818:Public-Private Sector Partnerships; D036301:Qualitative Research; D040241:Social Marketing
keywords: Adoption; Compatibility; Cross-sector partners; Diffusion of innovations; Nutrition; Qualitative study; Relative advantages; Social norms