Lessons from the field: A mixed methods analysis of hair stylists’ reflections on their experience as lay health educators

ABSTRACTBeauty salons are unique settings to provide community-based health education. The Speak UP! Salon Project trained hair stylists to deliver health messages related to reducing unintended pregnancy to female clients in the 18–30-year age range. The project ran from 2009 through 2011. Midway through the project, we held focus groups with stylists and administered a questionnaire as concurrent process evaluation measures. Forty-seven of the ninety-three stylists then active in the project attended one of eleven focus groups. The focus groups included questions about stylists’ experiences and their reflections on their role as lay health educators. Using Krueger’s qualitative methodology, we systematically analyzed the focus group transcripts. Six themes emerged from the focus groups, including stylists’ ability to deliver lay health education, increased comfort levels, stylists’ self-monitoring, support materials, messaging outside the target audience, and intangible benefits to the stylists. The que...