NCT04652596

Reducing Food Insecurity During COVID-19

Comparative Effectiveness of Two Interventions to Reduce Food Insecurity During the COVID-19 Pandemic

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 250 (actual)
• Sponsor: Boston Medical Center · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study aims to compare the effectiveness of two interventions to address food insecurity among low-income families with young children during the COVID pandemic. The investigators will conduct a parallel group, randomized controlled trial of 250 families. The first randomly assigned comparator is Fresh Connect, a produce prescription program that provides a stipend for participants to purchase fresh food items at mobile markets and independent farmers markets across Boston. The second comparator is grocery store gift cards, redeemable at conventional grocery stores. In each comparator, participants will be given the equivalent of $150 on a monthly basis for six consecutive months. All participants will be followed for 12 months to assess outcomes that involve food insecurity (primary), fruit and vegetable consumption, healthcare utilization, social service utilization, and physical/emotional health.

Conditions

• Food Insecurity

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Produce prescription program	A monthly $150 stipend will be provided to participants for 6 consecutive months to purchase fresh food items at mobile markets and independent farmers markets across Boston.
OTHER	Grocery store gift cards	A monthly value of $150 in grocery store gift cards redeemable at conventional grocery stores will be provided to participants for 6 consecutive months.

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-02-08
• Primary completion: 2023-02-13
• Completion: 2023-02-13
• First posted: 2020-12-03
• Last updated: 2023-04-27

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States