Public Health Education and Promotion Commons^™

Accessibility And Preferred Use Of Online Web Applications Among Wic Participants With Internet Access, Robert Bensley

Robert J Bensley

Objective: This study examined the current technology use of clients in the western Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) region and the preferences these current clients have for using new technologies to interact with WIC.

Methods: Cross-sectional convenience sample for online survey of WIC clients over 2 months in 2011.

Results: A weighted sample of 8,144 participants showed that the majority of WIC clients have access to the Internet using a computer or mobile phone. E-mail, texting, and Facebook are technologies most often used for communication. Significant differences (P < .05) existed between age groups and Facebook use, education level and technology use for education delivery, and education level and use of video chat.

Conclusions and Implications: Technologies should be considered …

The Impact Of Internet Vs. Traditional Special Supplemental Nutrition Program For Women, Infants, And Children Nutrition Education On Fruit And Vegetable Intake, Robert J. Bensley

Robert J Bensley

The purpose of this project was to compare the impact of Internet nutrition education to traditional nutrition education on Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) participant fruit and vegetable consumption. Interventions were delivered at 15 WIC clinics after normal WIC clinic operations or delivered online. A total of 692 and 872 participants from eight WIC agencies self-enrolled into two phases. A quasi experimental design using an interrupted time series to determine the impact of two methods of nutrition education and follow-up nutrition counseling was used. Data were collected online and at Michigan WIC clinics during 2005-2007 …