Multiple health behavior changes in a cancer prevention intervention for construction workers, 2001-2003. Prev Chronic Dis 2010 May;7(3):A55
Date
04/17/2010Pubmed ID
20394694Pubmed Central ID
PMC2879987Scopus ID
2-s2.0-77954706654 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 26 CitationsAbstract
INTRODUCTION: Few multiple behavior change interventions have addressed tobacco use in conjunction with fruit and vegetable consumption, particularly among high-risk blue-collar workers. Tools for Health, a cancer prevention intervention for construction laborers, was effective in achieving behavior change for smoking cessation and fruit and vegetable consumption separately. This study examines whether addressing smoking and fruit and vegetable consumption was successful in achieving positive change for both behaviors. We also explored possible explanations for the relationship between behavior changes in these 2 behavioral domains.
METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from a randomized controlled trial testing a smoking cessation and fruit and vegetable consumption intervention for construction workers. We used survey data from 300 intervention participants to answer our primary research question: Did participants who reported being smokers at baseline successfully quit smoking and increase their fruit and vegetable consumption by the end of the intervention? We used qualitative data from 16 small group discussions to help interpret these results.
RESULTS: Tools for Health participants achieved substantial levels of smoking cessation and increased their fruit and vegetable consumption, concurrently, during the course of the intervention.
CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that pairing smoking cessation with increasing fruit and vegetable consumption can be successful in a multiple behavior change intervention designed for high-risk blue-collar workers. Further, our findings provide potential directions for examining why this pairing might be complementary.
Author List
Harley AE, Devine CM, Beard B, Stoddard AM, Hunt MK, Sorensen GAuthor
Amy Harley PhD Assistant Professor in the School of Public Health department at University of Wisconsin - MilwaukeeMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
CounselingFeeding Behavior
Female
Fruit
Health Behavior
Health Education
Health Promotion
Humans
Incidence
Industry
Male
Neoplasms
Occupational Health
Retrospective Studies
Smoking
Smoking Cessation
Smoking Prevention
United States
Workplace
