Exploring Extension Agent Capacity and Readiness to Adopt Policy, Systems and Environmental Change Approaches.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Community Outreach
• Extension Education

Background:

• Cooperative Extension historically emphasizes direct education.
• Integrating policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change is crucial for enhanced outreach.
• Varying adoption of PSE strategies necessitates understanding agent readiness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Extension agents' perceived acceptability, capacity, and readiness for PSE change work.
• To identify barriers and facilitators for implementing PSE change strategies within the Extension system.

Main Methods:

• A survey was developed using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).
• Data collected from 116 FCS Extension agents using Likert scale and stage of change questions.
• Descriptive statistics and response frequencies were calculated.

Main Results:

• PSE change work is perceived as valuable by Extension agents.
• Barriers include perceived complexity, organizational readiness, and stakeholder concerns.
• Agents report self-efficacy for relevant skills but most are in early stages of change (pre-contemplation/contemplation).

Conclusions:

• Combining PSE change with direct education leverages Extension's strengths for health and wellbeing.
• Findings can inform capacity-building efforts for community educators and public health professionals.
• Addressing organizational and individual readiness is key for successful PSE change implementation in Extension.