Enhancing Food as Medicine Interventions for Food Insecure Postpartum Women in Central Texas

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to compare the short-term and long term impacts of Food is the Best Medicine (FBM)-Virtual on diet quality, food security status, breastfeeding rates, mental health status, rates of home cooking, and rationing coping strategies relative to FBM-In Person among food insecure, postpartum women and to compare implementation outcomes across the FBM-Virtual and FBM-In Person using process data collected from the participants, Community Health Worker (CHW)s, and partner organizations.

Condition

  • Food Insecurity in Post Partum Women

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 18 Years and 45 Years
Eligible Genders
Female
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • food insecure - to communicate in English or Spanish.

Exclusion Criteria

  • not living within the food produce zip code delivery radius - having any dietary allergies.

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel Assignment
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
FBM-In person
  • Other: FBM-In person
    Participants will receive two home visits by a CHW. Each home visit will last about 30 minutes, during which the CHW will assist the woman with community resources and help with enrolling in any state or federal nutrition and medical programs. Furthermore, the participants will be given access to a private Facebook group for nutrition, health education, and social support. Home visits will occur during the second and fifth weeks of the study.
  • Other: home delivered food boxes
    Participants will receive weekly deliveries of a box containing fresh produce and staple goods (approximately 5 meals a week), culturally tailored meals (6 meals a week), and prepared fruit, vegetable and grain-forward meal kits (4 units a week) plus standard nutrition education materials consisting of recipes inside of the boxes. Each participant will receive one box for eight consecutive weeks.
Experimental
FBM-Virtual
  • Other: FBM-Virtual
    Participants will receive access to a virtual platform which will have information on national, state, and local food and medical resources, as well as local community resources, and will have access to a private Facebook group for nutrition, health education, and social support.
  • Other: home delivered food boxes
    Participants will receive weekly deliveries of a box containing fresh produce and staple goods (approximately 5 meals a week), culturally tailored meals (6 meals a week), and prepared fruit, vegetable and grain-forward meal kits (4 units a week) plus standard nutrition education materials consisting of recipes inside of the boxes. Each participant will receive one box for eight consecutive weeks.
Active Comparator
home delivered food
  • Other: home delivered food boxes
    Participants will receive weekly deliveries of a box containing fresh produce and staple goods (approximately 5 meals a week), culturally tailored meals (6 meals a week), and prepared fruit, vegetable and grain-forward meal kits (4 units a week) plus standard nutrition education materials consisting of recipes inside of the boxes. Each participant will receive one box for eight consecutive weeks.

Recruiting Locations

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Houston, Texas 77030
Contact:
Alexandra van den Berg, MPH, PhD
512-391-2529
Alexandra.E.VanDenBerg@uth.tmc.edu

Ascension Seton Medical Center
Austin, Texas 78705
Contact:
Alexandra van den Berg, MPH,PhD
512-391-2529
Alexandra.E.VanDenBerg@uth.tmc.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Study Contact

Alexandra van den Berg, MPH, PhD
(512) 391-2529
Alexandra.E.VanDenBerg@uth.tmc.edu