Exploring determinants of completeness of implementation and continuation of a Dutch school-based healthy diet promotion programme

Strategies to promote implementation of school-based health promotion (hp) programmes should be designed to suit determinants of implementation and continuation. This study explored determinants of completeness of teachers' implementation of a healthy diet promotion programme and of their intention to continue the programme. Strategies for promoting complete and continued implementation of school-based hp programmes should be designed to suit such determinants. Teacher logbooks were used to assess completeness. Additionally, the teachers completed questionnaires before and after implementation on user-, programme-, context- and dissemination strategy-related determinants and their intention to continue the programme in the next school year. Non-parametric tests and logistic regressions were used to assess baseline-posttest changes in determinants and differences in determinants between teachers with levels of completeness and of intention to continue the programme. Variability in teachers' completeness of using the programme was best predicted by their perception of ‘relative advantage’ and ‘compatibility’ of the intervention programme. Teachers' intention to continue could be explained by ‘perceived personal benefits’, their perception of ‘programme outcome feasibility’ and on ‘subjective norm from students’. Our explorative study indicates that hp professionals should target various user-, programme- and context-related determinants in their implementation strategy to improve completeness of programme implementation and continuation. Close collaboration with the users and members of the target group during the programme development phase is essential.