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Applying an Equity Audit to Reduce Stigma: Assessing a Maine SNAP-Ed Participant Cookbook

Pamela Bruno, Patty Dushuttle, Colleen Fuller, Alexis Guy, Lori Kaley, Hannah Ruhl

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Background

SNAP-Ed has been working on an equity and trauma-informed lens. Our story includes:

    • Exposure to Leah’s Pantry trauma-informed curricula
    • Trainings by trauma-informed experts in Maine
    • Several Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) presentations

The UNE internal evaluation team works continuously to incorporate equity and trauma-informed evaluation principles into planning, reporting, and dissemination.

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Cookbook “Language of Health” Audit

Developed a process informed by the Lorts guide out of Arizona

    • Use respectful, considerate messages 
    • Collaborate, don’t dictate 
    • Avoid absolute/demeaning approaches
    • “What to Say”/”What Not to Say”

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  • Added cookbook content review categories:
    • cultural appropriation
    • ingredient review
    • utensil/equipment review, etc.

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Methods – Audit Tool and Reviews

Coding:

    • 6 from the Lorts guide and 2 additional a priori
    • 3 emerging...
      • over-emphasis of limited income
      • assumes resources available
      • person-first language

Applied general lens of weight-neutral strategies to re-write recipe tips

Conducted independent reviews and reconciliation process

      • All reviewers coded text-heavy sections
      • Divided up the recipe and tips pages

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Add a Slide Title - 2

We made over 70 edits (cookbook is 48 pages)

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Examples of Edits...

“This recipe can help you satisfy your sweet tooth in a healthy way”

  • Audit Code: Nutrition and Food
  • Notes: All foods fit - and "sweet tooth" disempowers reader
    • Deleted

“…keep you feeling full longer…”

  • Audit Code: Disordered Eating/ Diet Culture
  • Notes: Focuses on weight loss; shift to nourishment or weight-neutral health message
    • Deleted

“Use smaller plates at meals to help with portion control.”

  • Audit Code: Disordered Eating/Diet Culture, Weight and Body Size, Guiding Principles
  • Notes: Message is not collaborative. Indicates weight can be controlled by restrictive eating, reinforcing disordered eating practices, discourages intuitive eating and honoring one's hunger, contradicts health is weight neutral.
    • Rewrote: Choose portions that respect your hunger and make you feel satisfied. Aim to make half of your plate fruits and vegetables that you enjoy.

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What Did We Learn? What’s Next?

It is a replicable process and could be applied to:

    • Evaluation dissemination
    • Direct and indirect education public facing materials
    • Social media

Reality – overhauling entire curriculum would be difficult

    • Modifications/discussions in most public facing materials are a way to start the process
    • Our local community-based partners and/or educators should be involved in how we prioritize applying similar audits going forward

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Contacts

  • Pamela Bruno – pbruno2@une.edu
  • Patty Dushuttle - patricia.dushuttle@maine.gov
  • Colleen Fuller – cfuller2@une.edu
  • Alexis Guy - Alexis.Guy@opportunityalliance.org
  • Lori Kaley – lkaley@une.edu
  • Hannah Ruhl – hruhl@une.edu