Developing Tailored, Culturally Sensitive Interventions for Health Promotion in Rural Communities

Introduction: Marginalized populations, especially those living in rural communities, are often underserved and overrepresented in the prevalence of obesity and other obesity-related chronic health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes. Significant contributors to obesity-related health disparities among rural populations may include poor dietary habits and limited access to fresh foods. Current interventions designed to increase access to healthier food options have been shown to be less effective in rural communities, highlighting the need for tailored, culturally sensitive food access programs that are cost-effective and sustainable. Thus, the purpose of the current presentation is to share insights from phase one of the development of a multi-level, community-partnered health promotion intervention program to increase access to healthy foods in rural communities in Oregon. Phase one specifically seeks to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the Oakridge Buying Club, a community–food retailer partnered food access program in rural Oregon, which will serve as the program that the larger multi-level, community-partnered health promotion intervention will be based on.

Method: In a multilevel, mixed-method design, quantitative (N=200 adults) and qualitative data (N=20 adults in focus groups) will be collected to assess community- (e.g., program marketing, accessibility) and individual-level factors (e.g., perceptions of food access and engagement in healthy eating behaviors) that contribute to the potential effectiveness and acceptability of the Oakridge Buying Club.

Results: Preliminary individual and community level data from phase one will be presented. Specific challenges and strengths of a community-partnered approach to developing culturally tailored interventions for rural communities will also be discussed.

Conclusions: The current study will contribute to increased awareness, knowledge, and access to food services to improve health outcomes among rural populations. A community-partnered approach and emphasis on promoting engagement in positive health behaviors will have significant implications for creating successful physical health interventions tailored to the specific needs of rural communities.