Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2012 Dec;102(12):2315-21.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2012.300758. Epub 2012 Oct 18.

Formative process evaluation for implementing a social marketing intervention to increase walking among African Americans in the Positive Action for Today's Health trial

Sandra M Coulon  1 , Dawn K Wilson, Sarah Griffin, Sara M St George, Kassandra A Alia, Nevelyn N Trumpeter, Abraham K Wandersman, Melinda Forthofer, Shamika Robinson, Barney Gadson
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Formative process evaluation for implementing a social marketing intervention to increase walking among African Americans in the Positive Action for Today's Health trial

Sandra M Coulon et al. Am J Public Health. 2012 Dec.

Abstract

Objectives: Evaluating programs targeting physical activity may help to reduce disparate rates of obesity among African Americans. We report formative process evaluation methods and implementation dose, fidelity, and reach in the Positive Action for Today's Health trial.

Methods: We applied evaluation methods based on an ecological framework in 2 community-based police-patrolled walking programs targeting access and safety in underserved African American communities. One program also targeted social connectedness and motivation to walk using a social marketing approach. Process data were systematically collected from baseline to 12 months.

Results: Adequate implementation dose was achieved, with fidelity achieved but less stable in both programs. Monthly walkers increased to 424 in the walking-plus-social marketing program, indicating expanding program reach, in contrast to no increase in the walking-only program. Increased reach was correlated with peer-led Pride Strides (r = .92; P < .001), a key social marketing component, and program social interaction was the primary reason for which walkers reported participating.

Conclusions: Formative process evaluation demonstrated that the walking programs were effectively implemented and that social marketing increased walking and perceived social connectedness in African American communities.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

FIGURE 1—
FIGURE 1—
Program components and essential elements for the walking-plus-social marketing program: Positive Action for Today’s Health Trial, United States. Note. SM = social marketing. The walking-only program included access and safety program components only.
FIGURE 2—
FIGURE 2—
Total walkers by month in the walking programs from baseline to 12 months: Positive Action for Today’s Health Trial, United States, February 2009–January 2010. Note. SM = social marketing.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Haskell WL, Lee IM, Pate RRet al.Physical activity and public health: updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39(8):1423–1434 - PubMed
    1. James SA. Primordial prevention of cardiovascular disease among African-Americans: a social epidemiological perspective. Prev Med. 1999;29(6 pt 2):S84–S89 - PubMed
    1. Ford ES, Kohl HW, III, Mokdad AH, Ajani UA. Sedentary behavior, physical activity, and the metabolic syndrome among U.S. adults. Obes Res. 2005;13(3):608–614 - PubMed
    1. Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Ogden CL, Curtin LR. Prevalence and trends in obesity among US adults, 1999-2008. JAMA. 2010;303(3):235–241 - PubMed
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Neighborhood safety and the prevalence of physical inactivity—selected states, 1996. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1999;48(7):143–146 - PubMed

Publication types