P037 Current Food Resource Management Skills Predict Interest in SNAP-Ed Education During COVID-19

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 and related restrictions presented numerous challenges to individuals, communities, and nutrition education programs. OBJECTIVE: To better understand how nutrition education programs, like SNAP-Ed, might target eligible clients during COVID-19 by assessing interest in nutrition education by baseline behaviors. STUDY DESIGN, SETTINGS, AND PARTICIPANTS: Low-income adults, ages 18+, in Virginia. A cross-sectional online survey using Qualtrics panels was conducted March-April 2020. MEASURABLE OUTCOME/ANALYSIS: Survey questions included socio-demographic information, questions about food resource management practices (i.e., menu planning, using grocery shopping list, cooking at home), physical activity levels, and access to nutritious foods within their community, based on current adult SNAP-Ed evaluation instruments used in Virginia. Descriptive statistics were computed for all survey questions. Chi-square statistics (set a priori at α=0.05) were employed to examine associations between interest in programs and current practices. RESULTS: There were a total of 1,408 survey respondents from across Virginia. Results showed that interest in education programs were significantly associated with: SNAP participation within the past 12 months; using a grocery shopping list; cooking the main meal at home; meal planning; and regular physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: The findings characterize individuals with interest in potential SNAP-Ed programs and can be used to help inform and tailor program recruitment and marketing. Additional research is warranted to examine modality and dosage of interested individuals, in addition to recruitment and retention rates of individuals referred to existing SNAP-Ed programs from a survey of this nature. FUNDING: USDA Virginia Cooperative Extension Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education, Virginia Department of Social Services-Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)