Development of the PROMOTING ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES Program through Participatory Processes and Intervention Mapping

Using both participatory processes and intervention mapping (IM), PROMOTING ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES (PATHS), was developed to increase regular use of clinical preventive health care services and improve skills to access primary health care among women with mobility impairment.

IM is a health promotion program planning tool that emphasizes theoretical underpinnings. Development of the PATHS program used a participatory process throughout to outline the contents based on the IM process, develop and conduct the intervention and on-going supports, and evaluate effectiveness.

First, based on the workbook Making Preventive Health Care Work for You developed by a self-advocate (by June Isaacson Kailes, MSW), health promotion experts worked collaboratively to use IM to add the health promotion theory components of Self-Efficacy and Health Belief Model.

Next, an initial focus group and pilot test revealed that participants wanted more strategies to overcome specific barriers (transportation, accessible equipments, and insurance coverage) to obtaining services. Advisory members with physical disabilities provided guidance through the next stage of evaluating the usability and understandability of PATHS materials.

Two trainers with mobility impairment evaluated the entire PATHS intervention, ongoing support for behavioral implementation of the training program, and program evaluation materials.

The resulting PATHS program is a 90 minute workshop with structured on-going telephone support. The PATHS is currently in the final stage of implementation and evaluation. This presentation describes the development process of the PATHS program and the usefulness of participatory processes to augment the relevance of a theory-based IM process to a specific population.