Mechanisms and Intermediate Outcomes of a Community Translation to Adapt a Whole Family-Inclusive Lifestyle...

Involving community members in the process of translating scientific evidence into health messaging and interventions can lead to improved health outcomes and more patient-centered healthcare. Community Translation (CT) is one methodology for fostering collaboration between researchers and community members, and it has been shown to result in locally relevant, acceptable solutions to health challenges. There has been very little research on the direct effects that participation may have on community members who become involved in CT. Understanding the mechanisms of CT and its outcomes on participating community members is essential to maximizing the potential of CT. To address this gap, the present study explores processes theorized to be important to the effectiveness of CT.

Utilizing self-report survey and brief open response data from community partners (N=8) involved in a CT to adapt a family-inclusive lifestyle intervention in the rural Mountain West, we sought to describe change in theorized mechanisms - knowledge, attitudes, and partnership dynamics - and intermediate effectiveness outcomes.

The results indicate that perceived knowledge, attitudes, partnership dynamics, and intermediate effectiveness outcomes all tended to increase across the CT, with intermediate effectiveness outcomes such as group impact, perceived benefits, belonging, and cultural relevance showing the largest changes.

The findings provide preliminary support for the logic model and theoretical basis outlined by the developers of CT, as well as insights for ways to optimize this powerful community-based participatory research methodology.