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Online Program

331282
Relationship between Exposure to a Health Communication Campaign and Behavioral Intent among Military Target Audiences


Tuesday, November 3, 2015 : 2:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.

Jacqueline Watkins Dow, MSPH, Public Health Assessment Program, U.S. Army Institute of Public Health, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
Theresa Jackson Santo, PhD, MPH, CHES, Public Health Assessment Program, U.S. Army Institute of Public Health, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
Carrie Kilby, MSN, BSN, BA, Health Information Program, U.S. Army Institute of Public Health, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
Esther Pfau, MPH, Health Information Program, U.S. Army Institute of Public Health, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
Ashley Beale, MPH, Health Information Program, U.S. Army Public Health Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
Wana Jin, MPH, Public Health Assessment Division, Health Promotion and Wellness Directorate, Army Public Health Center, Gunpowder, MD
Barbara Ryan, MS, Health and Wellness Directorate, Office of the Army Surgeon General, Falls Church, VA
COL Deydre Teyhen, DPT, PhD, OCS, Health and Wellness Directorate, Office of the Army Surgeon General, Falls Church, VA
  
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Background:The Office of the Army Surgeon General created a health education campaign aimed to promote optimal sleep, activity, and nutrition (SAN) Army-wide. The health education campaign materials consist of paper products, social media messaging, a health challenge, and mobile application. The purpose of this outcome evaluation was to assess the relationship between the target audiences’ exposure to campaign materials and intent to make behavior change.

Methods: An online questionnaire collected data from U.S. Army Soldiers (n=905), Retirees (n=143), Civilians (n=1315) and Family Members (n=87) regarding campaign exposure and participants' willingness to make SAN behavior changes. Chi-square (X2) analyses were used to determine the relationship between campaign exposure and participants' willingness to make SAN behavior changes.  Chi-square analyses were also used to explore differences in intent to make SAN behavior changes across military target audiences.

Results: Approximately 25.9% of respondents reported exposure to campaign materials.  Respondents who were exposed to campaign materials were more likely to report willingness to make SAN behavior changes compared to respondents who were not exposed to campaign materials (X2= 4.589, df=2793, p<0.05).  There were also differences in the type of SAN behavior change respondents were willing to make across military target audiences (p<.05).

Conclusion: Findings show exposure to campaign materials was associated with an increased willingness to make SAN behavior changes. Therefore, it is recommended stakeholders utilize evidence based best practices to continue implementation of this campaign to ensure exposure among the intended target audience.

Learning Areas:

Communication and informatics
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs

Learning Objectives:
Evaluate intent to make behavior change as a result of exposure to the health education campaign materials. Identify differences in intent to make sleep, activity, and nutrition behavior change across military target audiences.

Keyword(s): Behavioral Research, Communication

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I currently serve as principal investigator for the program evaluation conducted to assess the health communication products developed for this health education campaign. In addition, my scientific interests include health education, health promotion, health behavior and chronic disease prevention among minority and military populations.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4354.0: Social Media and Health Promotion Interventions (organized by HCWG)