The long-term goal of this study is to use the Cancer Information Service (CIS) network to implement an intervention designed to increase fruit and vegetable (FV) intakes of CIS callers.
Specific aims are to: 1) design, implement and evaluate a proactive telephone educational protocol for the CIS, coupled with mailed tailored messages of varying frequencies, to test the impact on long-term fruit and vegetable consumption of callers, 2) determine which subgroups of callers benefit most from the intervention, 3) test for the efficacy and cost- effectiveness of tailored print material to promote behavior change. Each of the three aims listed above will be achieved by implementing a randomized controlled trail in which CIS callers will be randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions: (1) Brief Educational Message (BEM) promoting FV consumption over the telephone delivered by CIS Information Specialist, combined with a single non-tailored follow- up mailout of print material (control condition), (2) BEM combined with a single tailored mailout of print material, (3) BEM combined with four mailouts of print material tailored for information obtained solely at baseline, and (4) BEM combined with four mailouts of print material tailored to information obtained at baseline, and at 3 months follow-up. Messages and survey questions will incorporate theoretical constructs from the following models: Transtheoretical, Health Belief, protection Motivation, Social Cognitive, and precaution Adoption. The production and mailout of all tailored communications will be done by the Tailored Message core of the CISRC. Evaluation of the intervention will emphasize both process and outcome evaluation, with the latter based on telephone follow-up interviews (conducted by the Survey Methods Core) at 3- and 12-months follow-up. Outcome evaluation to be conducted by the Biostatistical Core will examine 3 key questions: is tailored print material mailed to CIS callers superior to non-tailored print material in promoting FV consumption? Are multiple mailouts of tailored print material superior to a single tailored mailout in promoting FV consumption? Are multiple mailouts of print material tailored to information obtained at baseline and at three months follow-up superior to multiple mailouts tailored solely to information obtained at baseline? The proposed study should make significant contributions to behavioral science and cancer prevention and control nationwide.
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