Using community-based participatory methods to develop social marketing messages and educational interventions: A case study targeting safety and health for homecare workers and their clients

Homecare workers who provide personal care and housekeeping services to elderly, disabled or ill individuals, constitute one of the fastest growing occupational groups. According to the 2000 Census, homecare workers are 90% female, predominantly poor, half minorities, and one quarter speak a language other than English. Given the less standardized or controllable work setting, homecare is one of the occupations with the highest occupational injury rate. Partnership for Safety is a 5-year community-based participatory intervention project to improve the safety and health of homecare workers in Alameda County California. Previous presentations reported on the role of worker and client focus groups, key informant interviews and a stakeholder committee in the conceptualization of educational intervention materials and policy initiatives. This presentation will describe the role of worker and client peer mentors in developing, refining and field testing the intervention materials. Fifteen peer mentors (10 workers and 5 clients) were recruited by project partners. All activities were conducted in 3 languages to assure that peer mentors would reflect the target population's demographics. Popular education techniques were used to train per mentors in leadership and safety and health skills. The peer mentors provided input during the development of social marketing messages and the design of educational materials. Each peer mentor also conducted home visits to fellow worker/client pairs to field test the prototype materials and social marketing messages. Hand held digital recorders were used to collect data during these home visits. This feedback was then used to generate final intervention materials.