Information Processes Mediate the Effect of a Health Communication Intervention on Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

Health communication interventions have been effective in promoting fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC). To explore mechanisms underlying health communication effectiveness, we investigated whether information processes mediated the relationship between health communication and FVC, using data from NC STRIDES. NC STRIDES tested the efficacy of two health communication strategies to promote FVC among a diverse population-based sample of older adults. Participants were randomized to one of four groups: control, tailored print communication (TPC), telephone motivational interviewing (TMI), or combined (TPC+TMI). Multi-sample structural equation models were constructed to analyze data from 469 participants. Information processes mediated the effect of TMI and TPC+TMI on FVC. TMI had an indirect effect on FVC through relevance of the communications. TPC+TMI influenced FVC through perceived relevance of the communications, trust in the communications, and dose recall via two paths. In the first path, relevance was associated with trust. Trust was associated with recall, and greater recall predicted FVC. In the second path, relevance was associated with dose recall, and more recall predicted FVC. Thus, we found that key information processes mediated the relationship between a health communication intervention and FVC. Further research should investigate ways to enhance relevance, trust, and recall during the delivery of interventions