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Topical Area: COVID-19 and Nutrition

COVID-19 and Nutrition (Poster Session)

(P12-004-23) The Implementation of an Online, Self-Paced Nutrition Education Program for Low-Income Adults During COVID-19

Sunday, July 23, 2023
12:45 PM – 1:45 PM ET
Location: Poster Board 277
Disclosure(s):
Darci L. Bell, PhD, RDN, LD: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: To understand the perspective of program facilitators on the implementation of Food eTalk, the online, self-paced nutrition education program targeted for low-income adults before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Virtual in-depth, individual interviews were conducted with Food eTalk facilitators at pre- (June 2020-March 2021; N=22, 90.9% female, 13.6% African American) and post-implementation (July 2021-March 2022; N=8, 100% female, 37.5% African American). The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), an implementation science meta-theory for evaluating interventions, was utilized to develop semi-structured interview guides. Multi-coder data analysis included deductive coding of predefined CFIR constructs and inductive methods to capture emerging themes.

Results: The COVID-19 pandemic arose as an External and Environmental Pressure in pre-implementation interviews. Participants spoke of navigating the increased demand for virtual learning opportunities, detailing their evolving perspective of eLearning beginning with feeling overwhelmed and unprepared at the onset of the pandemic, followed by acceptance of the necessity of such programs, and finally, feeling acclimated, comfortable, and open to online learning programs. After administering an online, self-paced nutrition education program, participants of the post-implementation interviews described the COVID-19 pandemic as a Catalyst for Change, forcing them to address a pre-pandemic need for and interest in online nutrition education opportunities among their low-income clients.

Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted Food eTalk implementation as the onset of the public health crisis forced facilitators to find ways to offer online nutrition education programs in a primarily distanced manner, shifting perspective of online programs and increasing overall interest in program implementation as a method of continuing to engage with clients despite the pandemic. The findings of this study exemplify the importance of eLearning health programs during the pandemic and can be used to inform future implementation of online, self-paced programs.

Funding Sources: USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) Grant