2004 WIC Special Project Grants

Project Title:  The Effects of Varied Intensities of Breastfeeding Peer Support on the Duration of Breastfeeding among Oregon WIC Participants

State Agency:  Oregon WIC Program

Summary:         This randomized control trial will evaluate the impact, cost-effectiveness and sustainability of peer breastfeeding support delivered in varied intensities on breastfeeding duration among Oregon WIC participants. Both English and Spanish speaking women will be recruited as peer counselors and study participants. Of particular interest is the effect of peer counselors in a state where breastfeeding initiation among WIC clients already exceeds Healthy People 2010 goals; and therefore efforts are focused primarily on improving duration and exclusivity. Data from this project should assist other State and local program to implement or refine existing breastfeeding peer counseling programs. 

Project Title:   FY2004 Special Projects Grant: www.wichealth.org, Innovative Strategies

State Agency: Michigan WIC Program

Summary:    The purpose of the Michigan FY 2004 USDA Special Project Grant is to broaden the scope of the Internet based nutrition education system www.wichealth.org, being used in seven states (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI, WA), to add three educational modules on fruit and vegetable consumption. The audience is WIC participants across the seven states, with Michigan participants being used to test the educational modules during the developmental stages. WIC participant needs and interests are a primary reason for staging educational lessons. The project will also evaluate the impact of a CD ROM and web-based stage of change/motivational negotiation training on the ability to continue moving WIC participants toward action along the Prochaska Stage of Change continuum. In addition, the project will determine the effectiveness of www.wichealth.org compared to traditional education strategies currently used in WIC clinics. This evaluation will help identify factors that may be associated with a participant’s movement over time from intent to commitment to change a behavior. Over the next three years, three fruit and vegetable modules will be added to the nutrition education delivery system that currently consists of eight modules focusing on parent-child feeding behaviors, postpartum wellness and breastfeeding. The project will address the major components of participant nutrition education and staff training using stage of change and motivational interviewing as part of nutrition education.

Project Title:     Implementing and Evaluating a Comprehensive Learner-Centered Program to Promote Fruit and Vegetable Intake Among WIC Children and Their Families.”

State Agency:  California WIC Program

Summary:         The California WIC Learner Centered Education (LCE) evaluation project will test the effectiveness of the learner-centered approach to WIC group education compared to the traditional, more didactic approach in increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in approximately 1600 primary caregivers of WIC families.  We propose that by increasing self-efficacy through a learner-centered approach to education, WIC families will be more likely to make positive health behavior changes regarding their fruit and vegetable intake than those who receive education through the didactic approach to education. The project will also assess the feasibility of implementing and sustaining LCE in California WIC sites, and will develop resources and materials to disseminate to other state WIC programs as well as other public health programs serving similar populations.  The major components of this project are staff training, participant education, evaluation, and sharing of information.  The staff at the five intervention agencies will be trained through a comprehensive program, Finding the Teacher Within, while the staff at the five control agencies will conduct their usual staff training and participant education.