ABSTRACT

Introduction: Peer-led health promotion programs rely on community members to promote health-enhancing changes among their peers. Such programs are growing in popularity and, as a useful and relevant strategy to promote older adults’ social participation, have shown benefit to participants’ physical and psychological health. Little is known, however, about the experience of older adults involved as peer educators in health promotion programs. Methods: Using an exploratory qualitative design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 7 older adults, aged between 62 and 76 years, involved as peer educators in one or two health promotion programs. Qualitative analysis rested on a mixed (inductive and deductive) approach. The deductive analysis relied on the Do-Live-Well model—an occupation-based framework with roots in health promotion. Findings: Engaging as peer educators allowed participants to express their identity, develop their capabilities, experience pleasure, and contribute to society. They perceived their involvement in this occupation as beneficial for their physical, psychological, and cognitive health. Personal and social forces (e.g., skills acquired through previous work experiences, social support) were considered facilitators to enable older adults to engage as peer educators. Conclusion: Being facilitators in peer-led health promotion programs provides an opportunity for older adults to engage in a meaningful occupational experience that can lead to positive health outcomes, while advancing health promotion messages among their peers.

摘要

简介：同行主导的健康促进计划依靠社区成员在他们的同龄人中促进促进健康的变化。此类计划越来越受欢迎，并且作为促进老年人社会参与的有用且相关的策略，已显示出对参与者的身心健康有益。然而，关于老年人作为同伴教育者参与健康促进计划的经历知之甚少。方法：使用探索性定性设计，对 7 名年龄在 62 至 76 岁之间的老年人进行了半结构化访谈，他们作为同伴教育者参与了一两个健康促进计划。定性分析基于混合（归纳和演绎）方法。演绎分析依赖于 Do-Live-Well 模型——一个根植于健康促进的基于职业的框架。发现： Engaging as peer educators allowed participants to express their identity, develop their capabilities, experience pleasure, and contribute to society. They perceived their involvement in this occupation as beneficial for their physical, psychological, and cognitive health. Personal and social forces (e.g., skills acquired through previous work experiences, social support) were considered facilitators to enable older adults to engage as peer educators. Conclusion: Being facilitators in peer-led health promotion programs provides an opportunity for older adults to engage in a meaningful occupational experience that can lead to positive health outcomes, while advancing health promotion messages among their peers.