Evaluation of a web-based nutrition education program for low-income adults
Abstract
The Internet presents new opportunities for nutrition information dissemination to untapped populations. Growth in Internet access rates means that low-income communities may now benefit from web-based nutrition education. Purdue Extension's Family Nutrition Program (FNP), which provides nutrition education to low-income Indiana adults, has begun investigating the use of a web-based nutrition education website. Approximately 1,620 low-income Indiana FNP participants were surveyed to assess their access to computers and the Internet. Half of them had a working computer in their homes, and 78% of those with a computer had access to the Internet. Of those with Internet access, the majority (70%) used a high-speed connection. Based on these results, a web-based nutrition education program was developed for low-income adults. Changes in nutrition-related outcomes achieved through web-based education were compared to outcomes achieved through the standard in-person nutrition education curriculum. Future interest in the website was assessed, along with the demographic characteristics of those interested participants. A convenience sample of adult FNP eligible clients (n=123) with Internet access were recruited to participate in a randomized, block equivalence trial. All participants were randomized to receive three nutrition education lessons either in-person (n=66) with a trained nutrition paraprofessional or via a nutrition education website (n=57). Paraprofessionals (n=15) served as blocking units to control for teaching style differences. Measures included changes in nutrition knowledge, behavioral intentions, self-efficacy and nutrition related behaviors assessed through pre/post surveys. Descriptive statistics, paired t-tests and ANOVA were conducted to analyze within and between group results. The results revealed that both groups had significant increases (P<.05) for most questions related to nutrition knowledge, behavioral intentions, self-efficacy and behavioral changes. When mean changes were compared between groups, the in-person group had higher increases (P<.05) in nutrition knowledge, behavioral intention and self-efficacy scores but changes in nutrition behavior scores between groups were overall, statistically equivalent (P>.05). Most (83%) of the web-based participants indicated that they would use the website again in the future, with no differences found across gender, age, race and education levels. This study provides evidence that low-income adults in Indiana have access to computers and the Internet in their homes, and that a web-based nutrition education program can lead to favorable changes in nutrition knowledge, behavioral intentions, self-efficacy and nutrition-related behaviors. It appears that web-based education can be an acceptable form of nutrition education regardless of gender, age, race, or education level, but in-person nutrition education delivery may have more influence on the recipient in the short term for certain topics. Web-based nutrition education should be studied further within the low-income population, but these results predict the promising potential of the web for providing nutrition education to low-income populations.
Degree
M.S.
Advisors
Evers, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Nutrition
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