An Intergenerational CBPR Intervention to Reduce Appalachian Health Disparities
An Intergenerational CBPR Intervention to Reduce Appalachian Health Disparities
The study purpose is to evaluate the effectiveness of a culturally appropriate, faith-placed lay health advisor intervention aimed at increasing fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity among intergenerational Appalachian individuals and families.
The developmental phase of this project incorporated community based participatory research (CBPR) principles to identify the needs and preferences of community members with regard to energy balance. In the intervention phase, this group-randomized trial administers and evaluates an intergenerational, culturally appropriate energy balance intervention aimed at increasing fruit and vegetable intake and increasing physical activity among participants in 6 distressed Appalachian counties. Faith institutions are recruited and randomized to treatment or wait-list control conditions, and participants are recruited and enrolled within those institutions. Focusing on Appalachian children, parents, and grandparents, local lay health advisors deliver a series of group presentations, adapted from We Can! and Media Smart Youth. In addition, the project provides culturally consonant leave-behind "booster" activities, including square dances, cooking classes, and community gardens.
Inclusion Criteria: