Technology, Training and Technical Assistance: Building Communications Capacity In State Obesity Programs

Background:  CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) funds 25 state heath departments to address obesity and related chronic diseases through statewide efforts. These 25 states have obesity prevention plans that require staff to utilize marketing communications strategies to bring attention to the obesity issue, and to build support for policy, systems and environmental changes that make the healthy choice the easy choice.

Program background:  The NC Division of Public Health’s Physical Activity and Nutrition (NCDPH PAN) Branch has employed at least one full-time communications expert since 2004. Surprisingly, most state obesity prevention programs lack part-time, much less full-time communications staff.  Between 2009 and 2011, CDC’s DNPAO funded NCDPH PAN to mentor other state obesity program staff in marketing communications. Mentoring is a process whereby an experienced professional shares expertise with the less experienced. Mentoring included one-on-one consultation; a skill-building webinar and teleconference series; a communications planning primer and template; and use of a social networking site to educate and stimulate the sharing of resources. 

Evaluation Methods and Results:  Twice, in the fall of 2009 and the fall of 2010, the NC staff surveyed state-level obesity program staff to assess knowledge, skills and confidence in marketing communications skills. In the initial survey, only 16% of respondents expressed confidence in being able to write a communications plan. In 2010, 19% agreed or strongly agreed that they fully understood how to write a communications plan. Both sets of survey results were used to develop training series delivered via webinar and teleconference calls. In both 2009 and 2010, a request for applications was sent to all funded states seeking applications for one-on-one technical assistance. In 2009, five states applied and were accepted. Of those, four achieved the goal of developing a communications plan in the first year. In 2010, six states applied, three were selected, and three successfully developed communications plans. 

Conclusions:  The states participating in mentoring gained both skill and confidence in their ability to plan and implement marketing communications plans and strategies as demonstrated through pre- and post- assessment surveys, webinar evaluations, interviews and social networking site statistics. The development of a template greatly enhanced staffs’ ability and motivation to engage in the planning process. The use of a social networking site and webinar service proved to be cost-efficient and effective ways to disseminate expertise and best practices.

Implications for research and/or practice:  There remains a great need to provide training and technical assistance to state-level obesity prevention programs; capacity remains low despite this two-year effort. Training public health professionals to plan, implement and evaluate marketing communications strategies may prove to be a way for programs to accomplish their goals without hiring additional staff.