Wellness project implementation within Houston's Faith and Diabetes initiative: a mixed methods study

Area of Science:

• Implementation Science
• Public Health
• Health Promotion

Background:

• Faith-based health promotion shows promise but struggles with scalability and sustainability.
• Peer educators were trained to deliver diabetes self-management education (DSME) in faith communities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors associated with the successful provision of DSME classes within six months of peer educator training.
• To understand implementation challenges in faith-based settings.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).
• Conducted thematic analysis of interviews and observations.
• Employed bivariate statistics to identify organizational characteristics associated with DSME class completion.

Main Results:

• 15 out of 24 faith organizations (62.5%) delivered DSME classes within six months.
• Key challenges included perceived complexity of DSME by peer educators and difficulties engaging organizational leadership and volunteers.
• Larger organizations faced greater coordination challenges and were less likely to complete classes despite greater resources.

Conclusions:

• Initial commitment is insufficient for program implementation; realistic previews of program demands are crucial.
• Faith organizations require robust strategies to prioritize and sustain health promotion programs amidst competing demands.