Health Education Research, Vol. 15, No. 3, 283-291,
June 2000
© 2000 Oxford University Press
Theory and practice: applying the ecological model to formative research for a WIC training program in New York State
14 Chemin des Tournesols, 1290 Chavannes-des-Bois, Switzerland,
1 Office of Evaluation, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA,
2 Center for Human Nutrition, The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA, and
3 Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD 21239, USA
This article discusses the application of the ecological model to formative research in a practical setting of a training program developed for the Child Growth Monitoring Project of the New York State WIC program. The ecological model was selected to guide the formative research because it offered a concrete framework to account for the reciprocal interaction of behavior and environment. This model describes five levels of influence on behavior: individual, interpersonal, organizational, community and policy. Because we knew from the start that the intervention would focus on training, we focused our efforts on collecting data at those ecological levels that we considered potentially amenable to change through a training program—individual (WIC providers and clients), interpersonal (provider–client interaction) and organizational (physical layout of WIC sites and sequence of activities). However, our experiences both with the training program and the post-training evaluation, using ecological theory, indicated the fallacy of failing to apply the ecological model consistently throughout the formative research. Therefore, for maximum effect when using the ecological model, it is recommended that the whole model be applied at all stages of formative research: development, implementation and evaluation. A matrix is presented for monitoring complete application of the model.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  S. Whitelaw, C. Martin, A. Kerr, and E. Wimbush An evaluation of the Health Promoting Health Service Framework: the implementation of a settings based approach within the NHS in Scotland Health Promot. Int., June 1, 2006; 21(2): 136 - 144. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. Gittelsohn, A. Steckler, C. C. Johnson, C. Pratt, M. Grieser, J. Pickrel, E. J. Stone, T. Conway, D. Coombs, and L. K. Staten Formative Research in School and Community-Based Health Programs and Studies: "State of the Art" and the TAAG Approach Health Educ Behav, February 1, 2006; 33(1): 25 - 39. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. R. Young, C. C. Johnson, A. Steckler, J. Gittelsohn, R. P. Saunders, B. I. Saksvig, K. M. Ribisl, L. A. Lytle, and T. L. McKenzie Data to Action: Using Formative Research to Develop Intervention Programs to Increase Physical Activity in Adolescent Girls Health Educ Behav, February 1, 2006; 33(1): 97 - 111. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. E. Gill and K. Wijk Case study of a healthy eating intervention for Swedish lorry drivers Health Educ. Res., June 1, 2004; 19(3): 306 - 315. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. K. Salazar, M. Napolitano, J. A. Scherer, and L. A. McCauley Hispanic Adolescent Farmworkers' Perceptions Associated with Pesticide Exposure1 West J Nurs Res, March 1, 2004; 26(2): 146 - 166. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
B. L. Riley, S. M. Taylor, and S. J. Elliott Organizational capacity and implementation change: a comparative case study of heart health promotion in Ontario public health agencies Health Educ. Res., December 1, 2003; 18(6): 754 - 769. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. M. Tucker Expanding Pediatric Psychology Beyond Hospital Walls to Meet the Health Care Needs of Ethnic Minority Children J. Pediatr. Psychol., June 1, 2002; 27(4): 315 - 323. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|