Changing Health Practices Through Research to Practice Collaboration: The Farm Dinner Theater Experience

Production agriculture ranks as one of the most hazardous occupations in United States, with older producers suffering 3.5 times fatalities compared their younger counterparts. Previous interventions have not significantly improved health or work behaviors farmers. Through careful collaboration among academics and Cooperative Extension agents, we developed, tested, expanded a unique educational experience, Farm Dinner Theater (FDT), for farmers aged 45 years more families across three states ( n = 8 communities, 573 participants). More than 50% participants made safety changes following theater. Communities requested theater events, noting realism applicability content engaging atmosphere discussion. Participants remarked that should be used all age-groups. The FDT project created community “champions” synergized initial research fostered expansion sustainability intervention. Process evaluation guided refinement intervention built trust, respect, further cooperative collaborators. Members partnership received national recognition funding to upscale concept. number FDTs has under local leadership. A toolkit resulted from is available public constantly updated adopters contribute insight scripts. This article describes collaborative concept demonstrates how sustained translation practice can accomplished through continued engagement, collaboration, outreach.