Peer-led motivational interviewing to maximize physical activity and healthy eating outcomes in low-income communities

In alignment with its goal of supporting community-driven approaches to address persistent obesity rates in low-income, ethnic minority populations, L.A. Care Health Plan (L.A. Care) continued its third year of the Active Steps Program, a 16-week community-based physical activity and nutrition promotion program. Four of the eight selected sites were randomly assigned to an intervention group, which included a motivational interviewing component. Volunteer health promoters were trained to conduct weekly peer-to-peer phone sessions with participants to maximize engagement and retention. Grounded in the Transtheoretical Model/Stages of Change Model and motivational interviewing technique, the check-in sessions were designed to facilitate conversations with participants about the process of behavior change while encouraging participants' internal motivation to incorporate healthy, active lifestyles. Each health promoter was assigned 7-10 participants and assisted participants in setting SMART goals, setting weekly action steps, identifying support systems, and troubleshooting challenges during the 16-weeks. Health promoters utilized weekly report forms to evaluate participants' readiness for change, weekly action step successes, and overall goal achievements. These reports will be compiled and analyzed to determine participants' movement through the stages of changes and their self-efficacy. The program is currently underway and results will be available in August 2013. We will present findings on participants' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors on having a healthy, active lifestyle. We will also discuss new skills and empowerment of health promoters with a focus on the peer-to-peer motivational interviewing phone sessions, lessons learned, best practices, and implications for continuing building research capacity among the health promoters.