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About the project
- Chronic disease is a major health concern in New Brunswick (NB), with a higher proportion of the population living with one or more chronic health conditions than the national average (New Brunswick Health Council, 2016).
- Chronic health conditions can lead to serious health complications and add extra burden to the healthcare system.
- Self-management support (such as health coaching) plays an important role in managing chronic health conditions.
- Live Well/Bien Vivre (LW/BV) is a community-based program for managing chronic diseases through health coaching. It is available to residents of NB 19 years of age and older.
- LW/BV is fully funded by Department of Health and delivered by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of NB.
- The program aims to help individuals make lasting lifestyle changes related to healthy eating, physical activity, smoking cessation and stress management through goal setting, self-determination, and connection to community resources.
- The evaluation of the LW/BV program had two main objectives:
- To evaluate the impact of the LW/BV model on clients’ health outcomes, including improvements in health status, self-management activities, and health service use.
- To assess how well the model has been implemented, including if it reaches the right people, and if coaching follows best practices and done in collaboration with community partners. As well as if the First Nations health coaching model is culturally safe and relevant.
- Participants in the evaluation included 75 former LW/BV clients (aged 50+), 8 health coaches, and 28 stakeholders.
- Note: The findings presented in this synopsis highlight only a selection of the results gathered from the evaluation.
Conclusions and lessons learned
- Overall, the LW/BV health coaching is a promising strategy for lifestyle behavioural change.
- Clients improved their participation in wellness activities and use of community resources to support health, both sustained after exiting the program.
- Many of the practices and strategies used by LW/BV health coaches align with best practice.
- The First Nations health coaching model did not differ significantly from the mainstream LW/BV model, except for the inclusion of First Nations health coaches.
Recommendations
- Where applicable, examine potential reasons for differences between the expected outcome(s) and the evaluation results and seek to address.
- Examine potential reasons for gender and age disparities in some outcomes and seek to address.
- Develop a framework to measure and monitor program outcomes, and to track and monitor program processes.
- Assess intake/exit surveys for validity and update as required to ensure data gathered enables measurement of program outcomes.
- Implement new and innovative ways to promote the LW/BV program with stakeholders ensuring a clear understanding of the program's aim and objectives.
- Explore opportunities to reduce clients’ barriers and challenges during and after exiting the program.
- Incorporate Indigeneity into the program design for LW/BV health coaching in First Nations communities as suggested by First Nations clients and key informants in First Nations communities.
To learn more read the complete project findings (PDF 136 KB)