Measuring Cognitive Characteristics Associated with Adoption and Implementation of Health Innovations in Schools

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to operationalize adopter characteristics identified by Rogers and assess their relationship to the adoption and implementation of health innovations in schools. Design. A two-year cohort study of teachers was used following introduction of a new health promotion program. Subjects. From a randomly selected statewide sample of 300 second grade Texas teachers, 131 completed an initial questionnaire (54% of 244 eligible participants). Among those 131 who completed the initial questionnaire, 103 (79%) completed a follow-up postcard in year two. These represented 42 % of the original sample eligible to participate. Measures. The self-administered questionnaire explored the structure of underlying cognitions towards adoption of innovations, teachers' communication patterns with health agencies, responses to various tobacco prevention and general educational materials, and the association of their views about adoption with practice. Descriptive statistics, principal components analysis, and nonparametric correlation coefficients were used. Results. Three components of teacher views which measured adopter characteristics described by Rogers (1983) were identified: Innovativeness, Need for Collegial Support, and Conservativeness. Respective levels of reliability were .83, .76, and .60. Associations of the components with user communication patterns with health agencies and use of innovations were found. Conclusions. Scales identified adopter cognitions associated with use of innovations. These may be used to diagnose target audiences, plan training programs, and expand research to enhance adoption and use of new programs.