Date of Graduation

Summer 8-13-2026

Document Access

Restricted Project/Capstone - USF access only

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

College/School

School of Nursing and Health Professions

Program

MSN project

First Advisor

Dr. Mahmoud Kaddoura, PhD, CAGS, APRN, NP-C, CNE

Abstract

Older adults living in low-income senior housing may experience challenges with making healthy food choices because of limited nutrition knowledge, financial resources, transportation, and chronic health conditions. This quality improvement project aimed to improve residents’ confidence in making healthy food choices through a 10-week nutrition education program at a senior housing community in Richmond, California. Weekly one-hour workshops focused on practical topics including reading nutrition labels, identifying hidden sources of sodium and sugar, choosing healthier foods, meal planning, and managing nutrition needs related to chronic health conditions. Multilingual educational materials were provided to improve access to the information. A Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle was used to guide implementation and evaluation. A 10-item nutrition confidence survey using a five-point Likert scale was administered before and after the intervention. Twenty-four residents completed the baseline survey, and 17 residents completed the post-intervention survey. The average nutrition confidence score increased from 3.93 at baseline to 4.37 after the intervention, representing an 11.2% increase. The percentage of Agree or Strongly Agree responses increased from 74.6% to 89.4%. Although the results showed improvement in nutrition confidence, the project did not meet the predetermined goal of a 20% increase. The findings suggest that practical and accessible nutrition education may help improve confidence in making healthier food choices among older adults. Future QI efforts should focus on improving attendance and survey completion, providing repeated sessions, and incorporating more hands-on activities such as cooking demonstrations.

Download

Available for download on Monday, August 09, 2027

To download restricted works from off campus you must have a USF email address and use it to create an account for the repository.

  Contact Author

Share

COinS