Degree Name

MS (Master of Science)

Program

Clinical Nutrition

Date of Award

5-2004

Committee Chair or Co-Chairs

Elizabeth F. Lowe

Committee Members

Alison K. Schaefer, Jamie B. Kridler

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to increase knowledge of the effects of prenatal substance use and to introduce the special nutritional needs of pregnancy in two counties in a region with high rates of low birth weight and prenatal substance abuse. A comparison of the efficacy of the educational program being delivered by a registered dietitian or by a group of high school students trained by the dietitian was performed. One hundred six high school students participated in the program and took identical pre- and posttests. The tests were compared to measure knowledge gain and were analyzed by paired t-tests. All respondents demonstrated a statistically significant increase in knowledge. The group receiving instruction from the registered dietitian and the group receiving instruction from the trained high school students demonstrated virtually identical gains in knowledge as measured by the testing instruments.

Document Type

Thesis - unrestricted

Copyright

Copyright by the authors.

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