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331766
Evaluation of Health Communication Products designed to Promote Optimal Sleep, Activity, and Nutrition in the U.S. Army


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Jaqueline 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
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 campaign materials using the RE-AIM Framework for program evaluation.                                                                                                                                          

Methods: An online questionnaire collected data from U.S. Army Soldiers (n=905), Retirees (n=143), Civilians (n=1315) and Family Members (n=87).  Descriptive analyses were used to determine reach, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of the campaign materials. To determine effectiveness, bivariate analyses were used to understand how level of campaign exposure was associated with respondents' knowledge and attitudes toward SAN.

Results: Reach - Approximately 27.9% of respondents reported exposure to the campaign materials. Effectiveness -There are significant positive associations between level of campaign exposure with respondents’ level of knowledge (p<0.05) and attitudes toward SAN (p<0.05). Adoption – The majority of respondents who reported exposure to campaign materials commonly provided positive Likert scale responses regarding aesthetics of the materials.  Implementation - Respondents who reported exposure commonly saw campaign materials at the medical treatment facility (30.0%), dining facility (14.8%), and the fitness center (n=365, 12.9%).  Maintenance - Approximately 74.1% of respondents reported intent to make behavior changes. 

Conclusion: Findings show level of campaign exposure was positively associated with respondents’ knowledge and attitudes toward SAN. Therefore, it is recommended stakeholders utilize evidence based best practices to implement health communication campaigns 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 the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance of the campaign materials. Identify strengths and weaknesses associated with the campaign materials. Explain the relationship between level of campaign exposure and respondents' knowledge and attitudes toward sleep, activity, and nutrition.

Keyword(s): Evaluation, Health Promotion and Education

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.

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