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Background
As the COVID-19 pandemic continued in FFY21, direct nutrition education programming was offered in-person and virtually through the UF/IFAS Extension Family Nutrition Program (FNP-Florida SNAP-Ed implementing agency) to reach audiences amidst the pandemic's constraints.
Objective
To compare the demographic reach and program activity characteristics (e.g., ethnicity, class size) across in-person and virtual delivery and identify predictors, including county environmental and social factors (e.g., metro designation, poverty rate), for the use of virtual delivery. This inquiry is useful to examine and guide the equitable and effective delivery of nutrition education that relies on multiple delivery methods.
Study Design, Settings, Participants
All one-time and series completed nutrition education program activities that FNP delivered in FFY21 were included. Mixed-age (youth and adult) activities were excluded due to low frequencies. Final program activity n = 4,111, final participant n = 60,920.
Measurable Outcome/Analysis
Demographics and activity characteristics were compared using summary and inferential statistics. Predictive model (logistic regression) variables included program activity characteristics (audience age; class size; start date; class setting) and county-level environmental and social variables (metro designation; COVID-19 Pandemic Vulnerability Index; household internet subscriptions; commute times; poverty rates). County variables were coded in relation to Florida county medians.
Results
Significant differences across in-person and virtual delivery methods were observed in multiple demographic and activity characteristic measures (e.g., differences in sex of adult participants (P < 0.001, Fisher's Exact Test). All program activity characteristics and county environmental and social variables were significant predictors of the utilization of virtual nutrition education.
Conclusions
Program activity characteristics and county environmental and social factors successfully predicted the use of virtual nutrition education, which may help explain differences in demographics and generally supports a systems approach to comparing delivery methods. Individual participant and nutrition educator preferences for virtual delivery were not accounted for and might explain much of the variability.
Funding
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Education.
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Copyright
© 2022 Published by Elsevier Inc.
