The evaluation of the use of health advocates and improving the skills of health advocates

This project evaluates a training programme provided by the British Foundation for Health Advocates working among ethnically diverse populations. The study uses structured questionnaires to assess people’s knowledge, before and at various times after the training intervention; focus groups, to explore the extent participants feel the course is relevant to their practice; and individual interviews, to discuss how various stakeholders, who manage and organise the course, perceive the training programme meets their needs. The research findings will be used to develop an ‘off-the-shelf’ package, which will be used nationally, to help educate those working with ethnic minority populations at risk of coronary heart disease.