Low Income Families’ Participation in and Perceptions of SNAP-Ed Activities: Assessments from the 2016 Washington State SNAP-Ed and Farmers Market Access Evaluation
Author
Stover, Stephanie
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Background: This thesis assesses the characteristics and experiences of SNAP recipients who are eligible to participate in SNAP-Ed activities, with a particular emphasis on the experiences of families with children. Methods: SNAP-Ed programs in Washington State were assessed through a mixed methods evaluation of data about participation in SNAP-Ed activities collected as part of the Washington State SNAP-Ed and Farmers Market Access Evaluation conducted by the University of Washington Center for Public Health Nutrition in 2016. Descriptive statistics were use to assess differences between SNAP recipients who participate in SNAP-Ed activities and those who do not and for differences between SNAP-Ed participants and SNAP-Ed non-participants based on whether there were children in the household. Descriptive statistics and qualitative interview responses were assessed for SNAP-Ed participants with children in the household to describe their experience of SNAP-Ed participation. Results: There were statistically significant differences in the distribution of race/ethnicity between SNAP-Ed participants and non-participants, with the greatest proportion of participants identifying as Non-Hispanic White (58%) and the second greatest proportion of participants identifying as Hispanic or Latino (20%). Results also showed statistically significant differences in age groups between SNAP-Ed participants and non-participants, although the greatest proportion of all study participants were from the 31-51 age group. In the 31-51 age group, 45% were SNAP-Ed participants compared to 34% who did not participate in SNAP-Ed activities. SNAP participants more often completed the survey in English (89%) than Spanish (11%) (p = .02). There were no statistically significant differences in urban/rural residence, primary language, or gender of participants. There were no statistically significant differences across SNAP-Ed activity participants and non-participants with and without children by participant education level or household food security. The greatest proportion of participants reported receiving SNAP benefits for more than 5 years (40%). Families with children in the household described appreciation for access to low cost healthy produce, healthier food choices, healthier meals, and community development through SNAP-Ed activities. Participants also described some barriers to use and opportunities for improvement of SNAP-Ed resources. Conclusions: Differences in demographic factors including family size and presence of children in the household may correlate with the choice to participate in certain SNAP-Ed activities such as activities for children at farmers markets or activities that provide quick and nutritious family meal planning options. SNAP recipients with children may participate less often in SNAP-Ed activities that do not provide child care resources, therefore indicating the importance of providing child care resources as a method of increasing activity participation. This information about SNAP and SNAP-Ed participant behaviors supports development of SNAP-Ed resources to serve the needs of families with children, thus maximizing the potential of children from lower income families to access nutrition resources in early years.
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