Masters Theses

Date of Award

6-1975

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Agricultural Extension

Major Professor

Cecil E. Carter Jr.

Committee Members

Robert S. Dotson, Reba Hendren

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of selected independent variables upon the use of recommended nutrition practices by selected Extension audiences. The population of the study included homemakers from 8k Tennessee counties. Homemakers interviewed were classified as; (1) home demonstration club members, (2) food stamp recipients, (3) young homemakers, (4) 4-H mothers, or (5) others. The sample included 1,610 homemakers made up of 230 food stamp recipients, 1,213 home demonstration club members and 16? young homemakers. The data were organized under four major headings: (1) influence of homemakers' personal and family characteristics upon levels of nutrition practice use, (2) influence of information from mass media upon levels of nutrition practice use, (3) influence of individual and group instruction upon levels of nutrition practice use, and (4) influ-ence of interest in attending workshops or series of meetings upon levels of nutrition practice use. A contingency table analysis program was used in the analysis of relationships between the levels of nutrition practice use of the three homemaker audiences and 26 independent variables. Homemakers were classified into low, medium, and high practice use levels and the number and percent of homemakers in different categories were shown for each audience. The mean number of practices used by each audience according to the independent variables were also shown. A chi-square statistical test of significance was used in the analysis of the data. Chi-square values which achieved the .05 level of significance were accepted as being statistically significant. Computations were done by the University of Tennessee Computing Center. Major findings of this study were: 1. In the food stamp recipient audience homemakers living alone and homemakers having five or more persons living in the home used fewest nutrition practices. 2. Food stamp recipients and home demonstration club members having both a freezer and refrigerator used more nutrition practices than homemakers having neither or only one of these appliances. 3. The greater the number of sources of mass media used for nutrition information by food stamp recipients and home demonstration club members, the greater was their use of nutrition practices. 4. Nutrition practice use by food stamp recipients and home demonstration club members was significantly influenced by their exposure to individual and group instruction regarding nutrition. 5. The total number of sources of information used by food stamp recipients and home demonstration club members significantly influenced their use of nutrition practices. 6. Home demonstration club members nutrition practice use increased with the number of nutrition related meetings they were interested in attending. Implications and recommendations also were included.

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