Reach, Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation And Maintenance Research Articles

Sustainable prevention of obesity through integrated strategies: The SPOTLIGHT project’s conceptual framework and design

BackgroundThe prevalence of overweight and obesity in Europe is high. It is a major cause of the overall rates of many of the main chronic (or non communicable) diseases in this region and is characterized by an unequal socio-economic distribution within the population. Obesity is largely determined by modifiable lifestyle behaviours such as low physical activity levels, sedentary behaviour and consumption of energy dense diets. It is increasingly being recognised that effective responses must go beyond interventions that only focus on a specific individual, social or environmental level and instead embrace system-based multi-level intervention approaches that address both the individual and environment. The EU-funded project “sustainable prevention of obesity through integrated strategies” (SPOTLIGHT) aims to increase and combine knowledge on the wide range of determinants of obesity in a systematic way, and to identify multi-level intervention approaches that are strong in terms of Reach, Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance (RE-AIM).Methods/DesignSPOTLIGHT comprises a series of systematic reviews on: individual-level predictors of success in behaviour change obesity interventions; social and physical environmental determinants of obesity; and on the RE-AIM of multi-level interventions. An interactive web-atlas of currently running multi-level interventions will be developed, and enhancing and impeding factors for implementation will be described. At the neighbourhood level, these elements will inform the development of methods to assess obesogenicity of diverse environments, using remote imaging techniques linked to geographic information systems. The validity of these methods will be evaluated using data from surveys of health and lifestyles of adults residing in the neighbourhoods surveyed. At both the micro- and macro-levels (national and international) the different physical, economical, political and socio-cultural elements will be assessed.DiscussionSPOTLIGHT offers the potential to develop approaches that combine an understanding of the obesogenicity of environments in Europe, and thus how they can be improved, with an appreciation of the individual factors that explain why people respond differently to such environments. Its findings will inform governmental authorities and professionals, academics, NGOs and private sector stakeholders engaged in the development and implementation of policies to tackle the obesity epidemic in Europe.

The GLAMA (Girls! Lead! Achieve! Mentor! Activate!) physical activity and peer leadership intervention pilot project: A process evaluation using the RE-AIM framework

BackgroundImplementing new initiatives and physical activity interventions in schools represents a myriad of challenges that if overcome can potentially facilitate a range of behavioural changes. The aim of this paper is to describe the process evaluation of specific design constructs used in the GLAMA (Girls! Lead! Achieve! Mentor! Activate!) peer leadership and physical activity pilot project. Conducted in a state secondary school in Australia, the intervention was designed to provide students with opportunities to develop leadership skills, school and social connectedness in addition to a range of physical activity experiences.MethodsThis process evaluation used the RE-AIM (Reach, Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance) health promotion evaluation framework to assess three design constructs of the intervention: the effectiveness of leadership training and leader preparedness, activity suitability and participation, and the barriers to implementation of the intervention and potential solutions to overcome these barriers. As it was not the specific aim of this pilot, no behavioural change data were collected from students. Data were collected using a mixed methods approach including student questionnaires, teachers and researchers reporting on their own observations and feedback from students.ResultsThere were three main considerations evident across more than one RE-AIM dimension that need to be addressed to assist with future GLAMA dissemination. Firstly, the development of teacher, school and student participation. This needs to be through a variety of professional development opportunities for teachers, integration of the program within timetabled classes within the school and promoting the program to students as an opportunity to develop a range of skills to apply to future learning and workplace environments. Secondly, the successful translation of leadership training to practice is necessary to ensure that leaders are effectively able to motivate, facilitate and activate their teams. Finally, the need for consistent activity implementation requires sequential, competitive elements, purposeful team selection and clearly defined scoring and time periods for team 'challenges'.ConclusionsFactors that have the greatest impact on intervention success are those that come from within the school setting including: the structure of the curriculum, pressure to meet curriculum and assessment content, lack of support for new initiatives, multiple programs already running within the school, time allowances for teachers, appropriate training for teachers, and support for students to participate. These barriers need to be considered when developing all secondary school interventions.

Smoking cessation for hospitalized smokers: An evaluation of the “Ottawa Model”

Interventions for hospitalized smokers can increase long-term smoking cessation rates. The Ottawa Model for Smoking Cessation (the "Ottawa Model") is an application of the "5 A's" approach to cessation, customized to the hospital setting. This study evaluated the impact of implementing the Ottawa Model in 9 hospitals in eastern Ontario. The RE-AIM (Reach, Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) framework was used to evaluate the intervention. Trained outreach facilitators assisted 9 hospitals to implement the Ottawa Model; program delivery was then monitored over a 1-year period using administrative data and data from a follow-up database. A before-and-after study was conducted to gauge the effect of the Ottawa Model program on cessation rates 6 months after hospitalization. Self-reports of smoking cessation were biochemically confirmed in a random sample of patients, and all cessation rates were corrected for potential misreporting. Sixty-nine percent of the expected number of smokers received the Ottawa Model intervention. Controlling for hospital, the confirmed 6-month continuous abstinence rate was higher after, than before, introduction of the Ottawa Model (29.4% vs. 18.3%; odds ratio = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.11-2.64; Z = 2.43; I(2) = 0%; p = .02). The intervention was more likely to accomplish counseling for smokers than delivery of medications or postdischarge follow-up. Attitudinal, managerial, and environmental challenges to program implementation were identified. Trained outreach facilitators successfully implemented the Ottawa Model in 9 hospitals leading to significantly higher long-term cessation rates. The public health implications of systematic cessation programs for hospitalized smokers are profound.