Background
Mobile text messaging intervention is a promising method for improving health promotion and behavior change. Little is known about feasibility and strategies for text messaging interventions targeted to low-income adults.
Objective
The objective of this study was to explore opinions about feasibility, tone, and content for the development of a texting campaign for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) eligible adults to encourage drinking more water and drinking less sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs).
Study Design, Setting, Participants
A qualitative research design was used to elicit the opinions of SNAP-Ed eligible individuals living in the state of Georgia. Using a convenience sample, 13 former SNAP-Ed direct education participants (84.6% female, 69.2% African American) were recruited by text message and email and participated in 4 focus groups and 1 in-depth interview through Zoom. Interviews focused on participants’ texting behavior, current beverage consumption, and proposed content of text messages.
Measurable Outcome/ Analysis
Focus group interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded to establish emergent themes using constant comparative method and Atlas.ti.
Results
Participants indicated text messaging would be an affordable, desirable, and comfortable way to receive information about nutrition and health. Participants expressed a desire to increase water consumption for themselves due to existing health concerns and wanted to reduce the number of SSBs they drank per day, despite currently drinking SSBs daily. The price and taste of water and unsweetened beverages were reported as the most common barriers to making healthier drink choices. Participants preferred content relevant to their lives (including health issues and abilities), and desired opportunities to build upon their previous knowledge with action-oriented, interactive, and engaging text messages.
Conclusion
Text messaging is a feasible method to provide nutrition education to SNAP-Ed eligible adults. The findings from this study will inform and guide a new University of Georgia SNAP-Ed text messaging intervention
Funding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Education.
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Copyright
© 2021 Published by Elsevier Inc.
