Understand How Participants Become Champions and Succeed in Adopting Healthy Lifestyles: A storytelling of a community health and nutrition program at a land-grant University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate and understand the experiences of participants who become champions and succeed in adopting healthy lifestyles. The setting was a health and nutrition educational program at University of Minnesota Extension. The main research questions were: How do participants in the Community Health Education Program become champions of the program and succeed in adopting healthy lifestyles? What can we learn about their success? A storytelling, narrative analysis design was conducted, including interviews with program participants in 10-13 person settings. This study is important as the organization strategically supports the outreach mission of the university. Findings included emergent themes which were organized into domains. Personal characteristics included being outgoing and passionate about what they do. The program learner domain describes their participation and engagement. This included learners’ attitudes and facilitators’ mindfulness that changes occur in small steps for learners. The program content domain discusses the content, including its connection to key nutrition messages based on the program implementation guidelines, the need to adapt content to fit culturally diverse learners’ backgrounds, and learners’ immediate needs and interests. The program context domain suggests that context matters, including how low income families face barriers to change that are multi layered. These barriers include but are not limited to financial, health, and social exclusion; this affects the health and well being of participants. Based on these findings, there are practical and theoretical implications for Human Resource Development (HRD). iv