Factors Affecting the Perceived Confidence of Extension Home Economists to be Community Health Promoters

Change agent activity is critical to how rapidly innovations in health such as exercise, diet modification, and cancer screening get diffused in populations. Because many rural areas lack health educators, and needs in rural areas tend to be more acute because of poverty, lower levels of education, and lack of access to health care services, diffusion is often slower and more uneven. A mail survey of 110 extension home economists (EHEs) in Virginia (response rate = 89%) found considerable interest among this group in undertaking expanded professional roles as community health promoters. In a multiple regression analysis, EHE exercise and weight control practices were predictive of their confidence in initiating a variety of professional activities related to exercise (p < .01) and weight control (p < .05), but the same relationships were not observed with other health practices. Perceived importance in helping clients following the health practices above was the variable in the regression model most highly predictive of expressed confidence in undertaking a range of health promotion activities. Several extension home economists expressed reluctance to become involved with smoking cessation activities because tobacco is a major cash crop in their counties and their organization provides technical assistance to tobacco growers there.