Category(s):
Health
Status: Closed
Principal: Ted McDonald
Project Number: P0068
Year Approved: 2022
Health coaching has been shown to be an effective intervention in lifestyle behaviour change, improving health status and reducing health care utilization. Health Coaches were introduced in New Brunswick in 2013 through an inter-sectoral partnership between Medavie Health Foundation, the Canadian Diabetes Association (now Diabetes Canada) and the New Brunswick Department of Health to deliver a community-based intervention for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes. Known as Live Well/Bien Vivre, the program has since expanded to nine health coaches. In addition, the program has undergone a new transition to include all chronic diseases and is now being delivered by the New Brunswick Heart and Stroke Foundation. The Department of Health is the sole funder.
This project assesses the effectiveness of the LiveWell/BienVivre (LW/BV) health coaching program in terms of improving client outcomes (health status and self-management behaviours) and reducing health care service utilization by clients with any chronic disease. The project uses a mixed methods research program that includes analysis of administrative data (including cost-benefit analysis) to estimate the impacts of program participation on health service use and health outcomes of participants measured against a control group. Other phases of the analysis include qualitative interviews (with clients and indigenous members) and longitudinal analysis of Live Well questionnaires. The qualitative analysis involves interviews with former LW/BV clients to assess sustained behaviour change at least 1-year following program exit. The degree to which the LW/BV model has been implemented as intended is assessed through interviews with current health coaches and focus groups with community stakeholders to assess community collaboration, community/system capacity to support health and focus on self-management.
The project has a separate component that involves engagement with First Nations communities, again using a mixed methods approach. Mixed methodology is used to assess the impact of the program on clients and the broader community, with quantitative analysis of intake/exit surveys to assess changes in intention and behavioral changes before and after program participation, and qualitative analysis involving storytelling and sharing circles, where participants will have the opportunity to share their stories with the LW/BV program.
