Abstract
Introduction
Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Nutrition Training Programs aim to train graduate-level registered dietitian/nutritionists (RDNs) to improve the health of MCH populations. Metrics exist to evaluate the production and success of skilled graduates; however, metrics are needed regarding the reach of MCH professionals. This study aimed to develop, validate, and administer a survey to estimate the reach of a MCH Nutrition Training Program’s alumni within the MCH population.
Methods
First, content validity of the survey was established with input from an expert panel (n = 4); face validity was established using cognitive interviews (n = 5) with RDNs; a test–retest (n = 37) was conducted to establish instrument reliability. The final survey, emailed to a convenience sample of alumni, received a response rate of 57% s(n = 56 of 98). Descriptive analyses were completed to identify MCH populations that alumni served. Survey responses were used to develop a storyboard.
Results
Most respondents were employed (93%; n = 52) and serving MCH populations (89%; n = 50). Of those serving MCH populations, 72% indicated working with families, 70% with mothers/women, 60% with young adults, 50% with children, 44% with adolescents, 40% with infants, and 26% with children and youth with special health care needs. The storyboard was created and visually represents connections between public health nutrition employment classification, direct reach, and indirect reach of sampled alumni to MCH populations served.
Conclusion
The survey and storyboard are important tools that allow MCH Nutrition training programs to demonstrate their reach and to justify the impact of workforce development investments on MCH populations.
Significance
Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Nutrition Training Programs currently use metrics like student grade point average, graduation rates, and post-graduation employment status to evaluate the production of successful trainees. However, tools to measure the impact of program alumni on the MCH population through their current employment are limited. This study provides the groundwork and instruments to allow MCH training programs and other workforce development investments to collect these metrics, demonstrate the program reach to MCH populations, and communicate program strengths and needed investments to key stakeholders through data visualization.
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Data Availability
The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, [MS]. The data are not publicly available to protect the privacy of the research participants.
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Funding
This project was funded by the University of Tennessee’s Department of Nutrition and, in part, by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau, T7909805, Marsha Spence.
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All authors were involved in the conceptualization of the study and study design, development of methods, interpretation of findings, and preparation of the manuscript. MM managed data collection, management, and analysis. JE developed the storyboard with feedback from all other authors. MM wrote the first draft with contributions from all other authors. All authors reviewed, commented on, and approved subsequent drafts of the manuscript.
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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Ethical Approval
All procedures in this study were approved by the University of Tennessee Institutional Review Board (IRB-18–04696-XM and IRB-19–05187-XM).
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Researchers obtained verbal and/or written consent from all research participants before they participated in the study that they were aware that their data would be used for research purposes.
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McElrone, M., Evans, J., Steeves, E.A. et al. Development of a Data Visualization Tool to Evaluate the Impact of a Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Nutrition Training Program on MCH Populations. Matern Child Health J 27, 611–620 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-023-03606-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-023-03606-7