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Successfully Recruiting Adults with a Low Socioeconomic Position into Community-Based Lifestyle Programs: A Qualitative Study on Expert Opinions.

ABSTRACT: We explored experts' perceived challenges and success factors in the recruitment of adults with a low socioeconomic position (SEP) for participation in community-based lifestyle modification programs. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 experienced project coordinators, based on a topic list that included experiences with recruitment, perceived barriers and success factors, and general views on recruitment strategies. Results revealed challenges related to the context of the program (e.g., limited program resources), psychosocial barriers of the participants (e.g., mistrust or skepticism), practical barriers (e.g., low literacy or having other priorities), and reasons to decline participation (e.g., lack of interest or motivation). Success factors were related to securing beneficial contextual and program-related factors (e.g., multi-layered recruitment strategy), establishing contact with the target group (e.g., via existing networks, community key-members), methods to increase engagement (e.g., personal approach and involvement of the target group in the program process) and making participation easier (e.g., providing transport), and providing various types of incentives. Concluding, the group of participants with low SEP covers a wide spectrum of individuals. Therefore, multiple recruitment strategies at multiple layers should be employed, and tailored. The lessons learned of those with hands-on experiences will help to enhance recruitment in future programs.

SUBMITTER: Stuber JM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7215437 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Successfully Recruiting Adults with a Low Socioeconomic Position into Community-Based Lifestyle Programs: A Qualitative Study on Expert Opinions.

Stuber Josine M JM Middel Cédric N H CNH Mackenbach Joreintje D JD Beulens Joline W J JWJ Lakerveld Jeroen J

International journal of environmental research and public health 20200416 8

We explored experts' perceived challenges and success factors in the recruitment of adults with a low socioeconomic position (SEP) for participation in community-based lifestyle modification programs. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 experienced project coordinators, based on a topic list that included experiences with recruitment, perceived barriers and success factors, and general views on recruitment strategies. Results revealed challenges related to the context of the program ...[more]

PMID: 32316344

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Project description:BackgroundOverweight or obesity during adolescence affects almost 25% of Australian youth, yet limited research exists regarding recruitment and engagement of adolescents in weight-management or healthy lifestyle interventions, or best-practice for encouraging long-term healthy behaviour change. A sound understanding of community perceptions, including views from adolescents, parents and community stakeholders, regarding barriers and enablers to entering and engaging meaningfully in an intervention is critical to improve the design of such programs.MethodsThis paper reports findings from focus groups and semi-structured interviews conducted with adolescents (n?=?44), parents (n?=?12) and community stakeholders (n?=?39) in Western Australia. Three major topics were discussed to inform the design of more feasible and effective interventions: recruitment, retention in the program and maintenance of healthy change. Data were analysed using content and thematic analyses.ResultsData were categorised into barriers and enablers across the three main topics. For recruitment, identified barriers included: the stigma associated with overweight, difficulty defining overweight, a lack of current health services and broader social barriers. The enablers for recruitment included: strategic marketing, a positive approach and subsidising program costs. For retention, identified barriers included: location, timing, high level of commitment needed and social barriers. Enablers for retention included: making it fun and enjoyable for adolescents, involving the family, having an on-line component, recruiting good staff and making it easy for parents to attend. For maintenance, identified barriers included: the high degree of difficulty in sustaining change and limited services to support change. Enablers for maintenance included: on-going follow up, focusing on positive change, utilisation of electronic media and transition back to community services.ConclusionsThis study highlights significant barriers for adolescents and parents to overcome to engage meaningfully with weight-management or healthy lifestyle programs. A number of enablers were identified to promote ongoing involvement with an intervention. This insight into specific contextual opinions from the local community can be used to inform the delivery of healthy lifestyle programs for overweight adolescents, with a focus on maximising acceptability and feasibility.

Project description:BackgroundParticipatory education, in the form of peer education, may be an effective way to promote youth sexual health. With the advent of the internet, web-based interventions have potential as an attractive new tool for sexual health promotion by peers.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate professional experts' opinions on the perspectives for web-based participatory interventions to promote sexual health by peers and among young people.MethodsSemistructured interviews were carried out with 20 experts (stakeholders in direct contact with young people, researchers, and institutional actors) specializing in sexual health, health promotion, peer education, youth, internet, and social media. After coding with N'Vivo, data were subjected to qualitative thematic analysis.ResultsThe majority of experts (18/20, 90%) found this kind of intervention to be attractive, but highlighted the necessary conditions, risks, and limitations attached to developing an acceptable peer intervention on the internet for sexual health promotion among young people. Five main themes were identified: (1) an internet intervention; (2) sexual health; (3) internet skills, and uses and the need for moderation; (4) multifaceted peers; and (5) minority peers. In the absence of youth interest for institutional messages, the experts highlighted the attractive participatory features of web-based interventions and the need for geolocalized resources. However, they also warned of the limitations associated with the possibility of integrating peers into education: peers should not be mere messengers, and should remain peers so as not to be outsiders to the target group. Experts highlighted concrete proposals to design an online participatory peer intervention, including the process of peer implication, online features in the intervention, and key points for conception and evaluation.ConclusionsThe experts agreed that web-based participatory interventions for youth sexual health promotion must be tailored to needs, uses, and preferences. This type of action requires youth involvement framed in an inclusive and holistic sexual health approach. Peer education can be implemented via the internet, but the design of the intervention also requires not being overly institutional in nature. Involving young people in their own education in an interactive, safe online space has the potential to develop their empowerment and to foster long-term positive behaviors, especially in the area of sexual health.

Dataset Information

Successfully Recruiting Adults with a Low Socioeconomic Position into Community-Based Lifestyle Programs: A Qualitative Study on Expert Opinions.

Publications

Successfully Recruiting Adults with a Low Socioeconomic Position into Community-Based Lifestyle Programs: A Qualitative Study on Expert Opinions.

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