Influence of organizational and social contexts on the implementation of culturally adapted hypertension control programs in Asian American-serving grocery stores, restaurants, and faith-based community sites: a qualitative study

Abstract

A training program developed with the aim of increasing the use of behavioral research in the real world was well-received by participants, increased their knowledge of key business model concepts, and changed the way they think about their work.

Abstract

Hypertension affects a third of U.S. adults and is especially high among Asian American groups. The Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health for Asian AmeRicans (REACH FAR) project delivers culturally adapted, evidence-based hypertension-related programs to Bangladeshi, Filipino, Korean, and Asian Indian communities in New York and New Jersey through 26 sites: ethnic grocery stores, restaurants, and Muslim, Christian, and Sikh faith-based organizations. Knowledge of the implementation mechanisms of culturally adapted programs is limited and is critical to inform the design and execution of such programs by and in community sites. We applied four categories of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research—intervention and individuals’ characteristics, inner and outer setting—to analyze factors influencing implementation outcomes, that is, site leaders’ perceptions about adopting, adapting, and sustaining REACH FAR. We conducted semistructured interviews with 15 leaders, coded them for implementation outcomes, and recoded them to identify contextual factors. Our findings show that REACH FAR resonated in sites where leaders perceived unhealthy diet and lifestyles in their communities ( intervention characteristics), sites had historically engaged in health programs as a public-service mission ( inner setting), and leaders identified with this mission ( individuals’ characteristics). Site leaders strived to adapt programs to respond to community preferences ( outer setting) without compromising core objectives ( inner setting). Leaders noted that program sustainability could be impeded by staff and volunteer turnover ( inner setting) but enhanced by reinforcing programs through community networks ( outer setting). The findings suggest that to facilitate implementation of culturally adapted health behavior programs through community sites, interventions should reinforce sites’ organizational commitments and social ties.