Economic analysis of bilingual interactive multimedia nutrition education.
BACKGROUND
Interactive multimedia (IMM) provides a means to deliver accurate, consistent, and convenient nutrition education.


OBJECTIVE
To compare direct costs of bilingual IMM and peer nutrition education methods.


METHODS
Cost per unit of nutrition education for each delivery method was calculated.


METHODS
Touch-screen computer kiosk systems in food assistance programs.


METHODS
Approximately 727 low-income and Hispanic persons.


METHODS
Bilingual IMM and nutrition education classes taught by peer educators.


METHODS
Cost per unit of nutrition education delivered.


METHODS
Descriptive: to compare costs and determine break-even points.


RESULTS
Initially, costs for both methods dropped and then nearly leveled for the peer method at a break-even point of 633 units, whereas those for IMM continued to decrease.


CONCLUSIONS
Interactive multimedia is a cost-effective method of delivering nutrition education, especially to large numbers of people.


CONCLUSIONS
Use of this technology could reach additional low-income persons at decreasing costs.
Gould
Susan Martin
SM
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1571, USA.
Anderson
Jennifer
J
D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000191:economics*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D019303:Multilingualism; D019212:Multimedia; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education*; D011203:Poverty; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000191:economics*