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Table 3 Challenges identified and suggested tailoring for lifestyle interventions for socio-economically deprived populations

From: Tailoring lifestyle interventions to low socio-economic populations: a qualitative study

 

Themes identified

Suggestions for tailoring (data)

Further suggestions for tailoring

Managing diversity

Meeting diverse needs

• Focus on education and no pressure to engage with tools for those with limited knowledge and difficult to engage.

• Separate groups for first time attendees with focus on education, and then on-going weigh-in and support groups for those who have previously attended.

Language and literacy barriers

• Visual aids e.g. fats, sugars and salt pots, traffic light card.

• More visually presented information rather than reliance on written materials.

Cultural diversity

• Target specific groups e.g. ethnicity, religion, to allow for tailoring of content and building relationships.

• More community development and linking with social housing.

• Ensure service deliverers are suitably trained to deliver culturally sensitive information.

Working against the environment

Affordability; attendance and adherence

• Use health professional referrals to add value to free course.

• Provide cost appropriate suggestions e.g. local deals, cheap recipes.

• Linking with leisure facilities for special offers.

• Additional commitment element to course.

• Considerations for policy level e.g. food vouchers.

Access and availability

• Recommend frozen and tinned fruit and vegetables.

• Suggest best options for fast food e.g. tomato rather than cream based curries.

• Signposting.

• Free leisure pass.

• Consideration for policy level e.g. planning.

• Include strategies for replacing fast food e.g. cooking own healthier versions.

• Interagency communication to identify gaps in provision.

Life gets in the way

• Planning meals.

• Damage limitation strategies e.g. knowing what not to eat at parties.

• Ensure easy to implement/ realistic goals.

• Strategies to encouraging partners and families to support/ adopt changes.