Accountability to self and others
truck
CVD
Many participants described accountability as a major facilitator of change during the coaching process, stating that having someone call them to discuss their progress toward goals felt like a form of checking‐up, making them more likely to complete agreed upon actions:
“I'd get a call or something and then I'd think ok, ok, I've got to be good, I've got to be good, they're checking up on me…” (P4, Female, Moderate CVD risk)Those who found ongoing ways to stay accountable for their health goals after the coaching ended had more success in maintaining the changes made. This contrasts with participants taking less personal responsibility for their health, which was synonymous with less self‐control and more likelihood of relapse:
“…what tends to happen is it's you and your partner in the truck and you go past and if she's hungry you've got to stop at a bakery…and then I'm back into it again” (P5, Male, High CVD risk)P2 repeatedly emphasized that people are responsible for their own health but need help to be able to self‐manage, indicating the need for both ongoing support and personal accountability in long‐term health behavior change.