Action Planning for Building Program Sustainability: Results from a Group-Randomized Trial.

Area of Science:

• Public Health Interventions
• Program Sustainability
• Health Behavior Change

Background:

• Public health programs require sustained evidence-based interventions for long-term population benefit.
• Limited resources exist to support public health programs in developing sustainability capacity.
• Program sustainability is crucial for achieving lasting public health improvements.

Approach:

• A multiyear, group-randomized trial evaluated a novel Program Sustainability Action Planning Model and Training Curricula.
• The intervention utilized Kolb's experiential learning theory and addressed key domains of the Program Sustainability Framework.
• A longitudinal mixed-effects model assessed changes in Program Sustainability Assessment (PSAT) scores, considering intervention group, dosage, policy environment, and funding.

Key Points:

• States receiving the training intervention reported significantly higher PSAT scores compared to control groups.
• The training model demonstrated effectiveness in building program sustainability capacity.
• While funding and policy environment had statistically significant effects, their impact on average program sustainability was small.

Conclusions:

• The Program Sustainability Action Planning Model and Training Curricula effectively enhanced sustainability capacity in state tobacco control programs.
• Tailored training approaches may be most effective for programs with less policy progress.
• Factors beyond funding levels appear to be equally or more important for program sustainability.