title: EFNEP's impact on the quality of life of its participants and educators.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Determine whether the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) affects the quality of life (QOL) of its participants and educators.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal, where QOL was measured 3 times for participants (pre, post, 3-month delayed post) and educators (before and 6 and 12 months after training).
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants' and educators' QOL was measured in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Georgia and Texas measured educators; Minnesota and Virginia measured participants.
  
  
  METHODS
  English speaking EFNEP participants and educators.
  
  
  METHODS
  The investigators used the QOL Profile to measure QOL in 3 domains: Being (who one is), Belonging (connection with social and physical environment), and Becoming (achieving personal goals).
  
  
  METHODS
  Chi-square and t tests compared group demographics; repeated-measures ANOVA detected changes over time; ANCOVA examined the influence of demographic variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both groups had QOL Profile scores above 1.5, which is considered acceptable. Participants improved from pre to post in the Being domains including Overall Being (least square means [standard error of the mean], 3.1 [0.2] to 4.1 [0.3]), and in Social Belonging (3.5 [0.3] to 3.8 [0.3]); most improvements were sustained at 3 months. Educators improved in the Belonging domains, and a number of scores continued to improve at 1 year after training, for example, Social Belonging (4.2 [0.5], 5.0 [0.5], and 5.8 [0.6]); and Community Belonging (3.5 [0.5], 3.8 [0.5], and 4.7 [0.5]) at the 3 time points, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EFNEP improved the QOL of participants, primarily in the Being domain, and of educators, primarily in the Belonging domain. The QOL profile has the potential to broaden the assessment of EFNEP impacts.
authors: Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.
authors: Garry
authors: G
authors: Auld
authors: Susan
authors: S
authors: Baker
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Bauer
authors: Wanda
authors: W
authors: Koszewski
authors: Sandra B
authors: SB
authors: Procter
authors: Michael F
authors: MF
authors: Steger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program; low income; nutrition education; quality of life