Development, delivery and evaluation of the HAT TRICK train-the-trainer module

Physical activity, healthy eating, and maintaining a healthy weight are associated with improved mental health and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Despite these benefits, many men do not meet recommended physical activity guidelines (i.e. 150 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity per week) and have poor eating behaviours. Many health promotion programs hold little “manly” appeal and fail to influence men’s self-health practices. Research has revealed that consideration of settings and products that align with men’s values and interests can advance health promotion behaviors.

The HAT TRICK program is a 12-week face-to-face, gender-sensitized intervention for overweight and inactive men focusing on physical activity, healthy eating and social connectedness, delivered in collaboration with a major junior ice hockey team in British Columbia. Recently, HAT TRICK has partnered with the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation (CMHF), a national, not for profit organization with the mission to inspire Canadian men to live healthier lives. Intending to expand the HAT TRICK program across British Columbia, the proposed dissemination activities detailed will be two-fold.

First is developing and refining the facilitation manual to more eloquently detail the delivery of the 12-week HAT TRICK program. The facilitation manual will be revised based on feedback provided during the program’s pilot testing. This resource will also be available to facilitators in print or as a downloadable PDF on the HAT TRICK website and CMHF website.

Second is organizing and delivering a 1.5 day train-the-trainer workshop to prepare facilitators from across British Columbia to deliver HAT TRICK in their community. The train-the-trainer workshop will allow for a focused and concerted education of future facilitators. Potential facilitators will be recruited from local university campuses and have a health-related background (e.g. human kinetics, physiotherapy, nursing, etc.). Two individuals from three locations (six total) will be identified to receive training. Upon completion and evaluation of these dissemination activities, HAT TRICK will be poised to be offered in more communities across British Columbia.