Western Australian Centre for Cancer and Palliative Care, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia.
Health Promot J Austr. 2013 Apr;24(1):7-12. doi: 10.1071/HE12904.
The 'Waist' Disposal Challenge (WDC) is a lay-led community-based health intervention in Rotary clubs in Western Australia aimed at reducing risk factors leading to lifestyle-related chronic diseases and, in particular, obesity. Ninety-three lay health advisors (LHA) or Champions were trained to deliver educational sessions to their clubs (for 1300 peers) and implement a body mass index competition by taking monthly weigh-ins (for 764 peers).
A mixed method design was used to explore Champions' experiences with the training program and their perceived role and impact on implementing the program in their clubs in 2010-11.
The qualitative data provided important evidence that initial implementation of this LHA-led health promotion intervention (WDC) has been effective and impacted positively on the Champions and their Rotary clubs. The results were a good fit in the two social action arenas of the Natural Helper Intervention Model: peer-to-peer social support and community attachment.
Reflecting on the impact of the program in their clubs, Champions reported overall health improvements at the personal, peer and community levels, enhanced awareness about health-related issues, improved health behaviour and enhanced community capacity. So what? Champions are an important resource for providing self-management education to people who are at risk of developing chronic conditions, particularly for those hard to reach and where there are difficulties recruiting trained health professionals. Future research needs to explore the characteristics of Champions that impact on the success of community-based programs.
“腰围处理挑战”（WDC）是西澳大利亚州扶轮社中由非专业人员领导的基于社区的健康干预措施，旨在减少导致生活方式相关慢性疾病的风险因素，特别是肥胖。93 名非专业健康顾问（LHA）或健康大使接受培训，向他们的俱乐部（针对 1300 名同伴）提供教育课程，并通过每月称重（针对 764 名同伴）实施身体质量指数竞赛。
采用混合方法设计，探讨了 2010-11 年健康大使在培训计划中的经验以及他们在俱乐部中实施该计划的角色和影响。
定性数据提供了重要证据，表明这种由 LHA 领导的健康促进干预措施（WDC）的初步实施是有效的，并对健康大使及其扶轮社产生了积极影响。结果与自然助手干预模型的两个社会行动领域非常吻合：同伴间的社会支持和社区联系。
考虑到该计划对俱乐部的影响，健康大使报告了个人、同伴和社区层面的整体健康改善，提高了对与健康相关问题的认识，改善了健康行为并增强了社区能力。那么有什么影响呢？健康大使是为有发展慢性疾病风险的人提供自我管理教育的重要资源，特别是对于那些难以接触到的人和招募受过培训的卫生专业人员有困难的地方。未来的研究需要探讨影响社区为基础的计划成功的健康大使的特征。
