Expanding the Reach of Evidence-Based Self-Management Education and Physical Activity Interventions: Results of a Cross-Site Evaluation of State Health Departments

Participation in community-based self-management education and physical activity interventions has been demonstrated to improve quality of life for those who have arthritis and other chronic diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Arthritis Program funded 21 state health departments to expand the reach (defined as the number of people who participate in interventions) of 10 evidence-based interventions in community settings. The Arthritis Centralized Evaluation assessed the strategies and tactics used by state health departments to expand the reach of these evidence-based interventions. The evaluation compared and contrasted processes used by the states to expand reach. Engaging multisite delivery system partners, prioritizing reach, embedding interventions within partners' routine operations, and collaborating across chronic disease program areas were all dissemination strategies that were correlated with expanded intervention reach. However, states also encountered challenges that limited their ability to successfully engage delivery systems as partners. These barriers included difficulty identifying delivery system partners and the lengthy time periods partners needed to adopt and embed the interventions.