P102 A Follow-Up Outcome Evaluation of a Comprehensive SNAP-Ed Social Marketing Campaign in Louisiana

Background In 2014, the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center (LSU AgCenter), an implementing agency for the Louisiana Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program–Education (SNAP-Ed), launched a social marketing campaign to promote healthy eating and physical activity behaviors. LSU AgCenter contracted Altarum in 2015 and 2016 to evaluate the campaign. Using Altarum's findings, LSU AgCenter revised the messaging, images and delivery channels for the campaign and relaunched in 2017. The updated campaign utilized billboards, television and radio advertisements, and printed materials to reach SNAP-Ed eligible adults in 32 parishes in Louisiana. Objective To assess the effectiveness of the updated campaign in reaching the intended audience. Study Design, Settings, Participants Altarum conducted an outcome evaluation using measures from the SNAP-Ed Evaluation Framework. A revised telephone survey collected data from 601 randomly selected SNAP recipients living in parishes receiving the campaign. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Descriptive statistics described the sample population and assessed exposure. Significant differences between groups were estimated using 95% confidence intervals. Data were weighted by age and gender to generalize findings to the SNAP population in target Louisiana parishes. Differences between the 2015 and 2018 outcome evaluations were noted. Results Consistent with findings from 2015, 50% of SNAP recipients were exposed to one or more of campaign messages through any delivery channel. Television ads were the most recalled channel of delivery (44%) followed by billboards and printed materials (36% each) and radio advertisements (19%). Exposure to individual messages varied slightly with 31%, 30% and 23% of exposed SNAP recipients seeing the Healthy Meals at Home, Breakfast, and Physical Activity messages, respectively. Among SNAP recipients exposed to the campaign, many indicated that the messages encouraged them to think about adopting the promoted healthy behaviors, many of whom followed through with their intentions. Conclusion LSU AgCenter successfully implemented an updated social marketing campaign that was seen by half of SNAP recipients in target Louisiana parishes. Funding SNAP-Ed.