UWIN Projects: SNAP

SNAP is the acronym for Speedy Nutrition and Physical Activity Assessment and Guidance Protocol, which is a simple primary prevention program intended for use in primary care. SNAP includes the following elements: 1) a rapid assessment of moderate physical activity and basic nutrition behaviors (fruit and vegetable intake, dietary fat intake, general eating habits), 2) Helpful Ideas for patients to take home that includes specific suggestions for increasing physical activity and improving nutrition behaviors, and 3) guidance tips for health care providers who are less familiar with directing patient behavior change using the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change (also known as Stages of Change).

SNAP is based upon the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change and was created with the cooperation of Community Health Centers, Inc. in Salt Lake City, UT. Focus groups with providers, staff and patients were instrumental in the development of SNAP. Special care was used to include very basic educational components as requested by providers and staff. Patients requested that materials be short and visually pleasing with use of color and pictures, and include specific but simple ideas for changing behavior. All materials for patient use are written with clear and basic language appropriate for a wide range of literacy levels.

The use of SNAP is expanding among Community Health Centers in Utah. Feedback from providers, clinic staff and patients is being used to improve SNAP procedures. Future work will be conducted to confirm SNAP validity, reliability and clinical utility.