Design of an Online Initiative to Promote Water Consumption in Mexican Adolescents

Abstract

Abstract Objectives To describe the development of an initiative for water consumption in Mexican adolescents of public secondary schools. Methods Based on a diagnosis in adolescents 11 to 16 years from public secondary schools we developed an initiative following the Intervention Mapping protocol: (1) Logic model of the problem, (2) Logic model of change, (3) Program design, (4) Program production, (5) Program implementation plan, and (6) Evaluation plan. We established behavioral outcomes for the next levels: Intrapersonal (adolescents), Interpersonal (mothers and fathers), Organizational (principals and teachers) and Social (authorities of the respective Ministries of Education and Health). At Intrapersonal and Interpersonal levels, we based on the Health Belief Model and the Social Cognitive Theory. For Organizational and Social levels, we considered the Stage Theory of Organizational Change. Results We developed a comprehensive initiative with a gender perspective entitled EPCA (for its acronym in Spanish of Schools Promoting Water Consumption). It includes an online course for adolescents, which shows the benefits of water and the health risks of sugary drinks, it guides adolescents to identify their water requirement and gives them tips to achieve it. The course presents funny challenges and healthy advices in audiovisual materials. For principals, teachers, mothers, and fathers there are digital resources available on the Facebook page of the EPCA initiative, which aim to help adults guide adolescents to take the course online, in addition, the resources motivate them to consume water. For the implementation of the EPCA initiative we developed a manual and planned online workshops with authorities of the Ministries of Education and Health, principals, and parents. We developed a process and impact evaluation plan, in which we considered to make a randomized controlled trial. Conclusions The EPCA initiative is a multilevel online intervention that was developed in accordance with a systematic protocol grounded in theory and scientific evidence, which will be implemented in a pilot manner in a random sample of Mexican adolescents to evaluate their impact on water consumption. Funding Sources This study was financed by the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF-Mexico.