Use of Population Health Data and Qualitative Analysis to Guide Local Planning and Implementation of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education

Caldwell, J. I., Palimaru, A., Cohen, D. A., Rizik-Baer, D., Shah-Patel, D., & Kuo, T. (2022). Use of Population Health Data and Qualitative Analysis to Guide Local Planning and Implementation of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education. American Journal of Health Promotion, 36(5), 834–842. https://doi.org/10.1177/08901171211069128

Purpose: The purpose is to describe how local quantitative and qualitative data were used to assess the progress of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) interventions in Los Angeles County, California. Approach: Data from the California Health Interview Survey informed the geographical concentration of program resources during the planning phase. At the end of the program, semi-structured interviews with stakeholders were conducted to assess factors that facilitated SNAP-Ed implementation. Setting: Los Angeles County, California. Participants: Twenty-four project coordinators were interviewed. Intervention: From 2016 to 2020, 24 organizations across Los Angeles County delivered nutrition education, reaching an estimated 2 million people. Two-hundred policy, systems, and environmental change interventions reached an estimated 1.2 million people. Method: Semi-structured interview data were analyzed using a form of both inductive and deductive content analysis. A codebook was developed based on themes identified in these interviews. Each interview was coded by 2 team members; discrepancies (if they arose) were resolved by a 5-member group. Results: Two facilitators—support for capacity building from a local health department and presence of community partnerships—were identified as critical factors that contributed to the success of SNAP-Ed implementation. Conclusion: A local health department can increase SNAP-Ed intervention reach and uptake by assisting funded partners with further capacity building, helping them to develop feasible work plans, foster evaluation skills, and engage in sustainability planning. © The Author(s) 2022.