Barbara Baquero, BA¹, Guadalupe X. Ayala, PhD, MPH², Elva M. Arredondo, PhD¹, Kristin Mueller, BS¹, John P Elder, MPH, PhD¹, and Nadia R Campbell, MPH¹. (1) Center for Behavioral and Community Health Studies, San Diego State University, 9245 Sky Park Court, Suite 221, San Diego, CA 92123, (619) 594-2395, bbaquero@projects.sdsu.edu, (2) Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina School of Public Health, CB #7440, Rosenau Hall 315, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7440

Latinos suffer disproportionately from many chronic diseases partly due to poor dietary habits. This study describes the process evaluation of two interventions that improved the healthy dietary practices among Latinas living in San Diego area. The interventions involved the following: 1) a tailored newsletter with promotora visits (TN+P) and 2) a tailored newsletter only (TN) and were compared to a control group receiving off-the-shelf health related materials. Three hundred fifty-seven Latinas were recruited via random digit dial to participate in the study (Mean age = 39.71 years; SD =9.93). Process evaluation data were collected during intervention implementation and from face-to-face interviews with participants. The majority (64%) of the TN+P participants returned 6 or more activity cards, a newsletter component, compared with only 52.5% of the TN participants. Participants in the TN+P group reported receiving significantly more newsletters (p< .001) compared with the TN participants. Overall, older participants were more likely to return activity cards (p < .05). Latinas who were employed and reported a stronger affiliation with the Anglo culture received fewer promotora visits. The high reach and dose found in the TN+P condition as shown by a greater number of activity cards completed and newsletters received, may help explain the success of this intervention group in improving healthy dietary practices compared to the other two groups. Demographics and acculturation levels may also help explain the receptivity and hence the success of the intervention. These findings contribute to the limited information on how interventions impact the dietary practices of Latinas.

Learning Objectives:

• 1.Recognize the importance of conducting a process evaluation.
• 2.Identify appropriate process evaluation procedures.
• 3.Describe the process evaluation of a health communication nutrition intervention for Latinas.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.