"Harvest for Health" is a home-based vegetable gardening intervention that pairs cancer survivors with certified master gardeners (MGs) from the Cooperative Extension System, the education and outreach arm of land-grant universities nationwide.
Few lifestyle behavior change interventions have been successfully translated into practice. Addressing this research-to-practice gap is a significant research and public health priority. "Harvest for Health" is a home-based vegetable gardening intervention that pairs cancer survivors with certified Master Gardeners from the Cooperative Extension System. The parent study was started at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and is currently being conducted throughout the entire state of Alabama. Preliminary findings suggest that this intervention increases vegetable consumption and physical activity, and improves physical functioning and health-related quality of life. We propose a feasibility study to adapt this promising program to the multi-cultural population of cancer survivors and for the local context (physical, social, and cultural environment) of New Mexico. We will then implement the adapted program, "Southwest Harvest for Health" and evaluate feasibility, acceptability, and fidelity. The adaptation phase is a critical first step towards widespread dissemination, implementation, and scale-up of an evidence-based intervention.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
30
The mentored vegetable gardening program pairs each participant with a certified Master Gardener. The participant/Master Gardener dyads work together to plan, plant and tend to a vegetable garden at the participant's home throughout the year. Gardening supplies, plants and seeds are provided.
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
Feasibility of the Intervention
Ability to recruit 25 cancer survivors in 3 months, achieve 80% retention rates, 80% adherence to the intervention, and high acceptability of the program for both cancer survivors (participants) and Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners.
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 9 months
Pre-post Change in Vegetable and Fruit Intake
The number of daily servings of vegetables and fruits will be measured by the Eating at America's Table Screener (EATS) questionnaire; this 10-item NCI-developed questionnaire will be able to assess whether individuals increase by more than one serving of vegetables/fruits per day.
Time frame: baseline to 9-months
Pre-post Change in Objectively Measured Physical Activity
Physical activity will be objectively measured using the activPAL research grade monitor.
Time frame: baseline to 9-months
Pre-post Change in Sleep Quality
Self-reported sleep quality will be assessed using the PROMIS 8-item questionnaires for sleep impairment and sleep disturbance. Raw scores range from 8 to 40; higher scores indicate worse sleep quality; T-score rescales the raw score into a standardized score with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation (SD) of 10. Therefore, a person with a T-score of 40 is one SD below the mean.
Time frame: baseline to 9-months
Pre-post Change in Physical Function
Self-reported physical function will be assessed using the 8-item physical function scale. Raw scores range from 8 to 40; higher scores indicate better physical function; T-score rescales the raw score into a standardized score with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation (SD) of 10. Therefore, a person with a T-score of 40 is one SD below the mean.
Time frame: baseline to 9-months
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Pre-post Change in Physical Performance
Physical performance will be objectively measured using the Rikli \& Jones Senior Fitness Battery.
Time frame: baseline to 9-months