Older Adults' Perceptions of a Church-Based Social Marketing Initiative to Prevent Falls Through Balance and Strength Classes.

Despite evidence that balance and strength training and other multicomponent exercise classes reduce the risk and rate of falls and fall-related injuries, few older adults participate. To increase uptake of balance- and strength-based fall-prevention classes, we designed and implemented a social marketing program, delivered through churches. Diverse stakeholders in this social marketing initiative included class participants, instructors, church leaders and members, and public health and recreation partners.

Understanding fall meaning and context in marketing balance classes to older adults.

This study explored older, community-dwelling adults' attitudes and values about proposed church-delivered balance classes for fall prevention. Community observation, group interviews with stakeholders, key informant interviews, and focus groups with church members ≥ 60 years of age were analyzed in two ways: first for inductive themes expressing community sentiment about fall prevention for older adults, then for content useful in creating locally tailored social marketing messages. Four themes expressed perceptions of fall-prevention programming: de-emphasizing fall risk and emphasizing strength and independence, moving older adults out of their "comfort zones" to join classes, identifying relationships to support fall-prevention activities, and considering gender-based differences in approaches to fall prevention.

Healthcare providers' perceptions of the factors contributing to infant obesity in a low-income Mexican American community.

Purpose: To examine healthcare professionals' perceptions of Mexican American infant feeding practices and obesity.

Design And Methods: Five provider focus groups (n = 38 providers) were conducted in two agencies in the Denver area on the topic of contributors to childhood obesity in the Mexican American community.

Results: Healthcare providers believe obesity in Mexican American infants is related to: (a) a chubby baby being a healthy baby, (b) introducing complementary foods early, (c) extended family members' infant feeding practices, (d) offering infants high-calorie foods, and (e) prolonged bottle feeding and sweet beverages.

Early infant feeding decisions in low-income Latinas.

Breastfeeding rates remain low, especially among low-income minority women. The objective of this qualitative study was to assess barriers to breastfeeding and reasons for combination feeding among low-income Latina women and their families. Meetings were held with key informants to inform the sampling plan and develop questions for focus groups.

Using focus groups to develop a culturally competent diabetes self-management program for Mexican Americans.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe factors that facilitate or hinder diabetes self-management and elicit participants' preferences and recommendations about the essential components of a culturally competent diabetes self-management program.

Methods: Latino patients with type 2 diabetes and their family caregivers were interviewed in focus groups. Four focus groups consisted of patients, and 2 groups consisted of family caregivers for a total of 40 participants.