Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) Produce Prescription Program, administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture at the U.S. Department of Agriculture
Funding Period:
2022-2026
Study Design:
This project will be conducted in 3 phases: 1. Sept. 2022-Feb. 2023: Formative research and program co-design with community partners and potential program participants 2. March 2023-Feb. 2025: Randomized controlled trial of a healthcare provider-based produce prescription program (PPR) 3. March 2025-Aug. 2026: Data analyses and dissemination of findings
Purpose:
Griffin Hospital and the Yale-Griffin PRC are partnering to offer a healthcare provider-based produce prescription program (PPR) (co-designed with community partners and residents) to low-income residents of Connecticut’s Lower Naugatuck Valley (LNV) who receive care from Griffin Hospital and/or the Griffin Faculty Physicians practice, and who have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. The goal is to improve their food security, diet quality, cardio-metabolic health outcomes, and healthcare costs.Disparities in access to healthy foods can lead to disparities in obesity, diabetes, overall health, and quality of life. Produce prescription programs with incentives to buy fruits and vegetables can help improve participants’ food security and nutritional status, which can help reduce health disparities resulting from differential access to healthy foods.
Further Study Details:
The project team will recruit 134 adults with pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes. We will randomly assign 67 to a PPR intervention and 67 to a delayed intervention control group.The 6-month PPR will include vouchers to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, along with nutrition education. The vouchers’ monthly value will be $40 per household, with an extra $5 per additional household member. The specific nutrition education and the voucher redemption sites will be determined based on the formative research.
Eligibility:
To qualify for this study, you must be:Age 18 years or olderResident of the Lower Naugatuck ValleyPatient at Griffin Hospital and/or Griffin Faculty Physicians practiceEligible for Medicaid and/or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance ProgramDiagnosis of prediabetes or type 2 diabetesAble to communicate in English or Spanish
Evaluation:
The project team will evaluate the co-design process, PPR implementation, and the PPR’s impact on participants’ food security status, diet quality, hemoglobin A1C, blood lipids, blood pressure, weight, and body mass index. Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, after the 6-month intervention, and 3 months later. We will also assess the PPR’s impact on healthcare costs.
Changed at:
4/12/2023 1:19 PM
Changed by:
Christian Meagher
Created at:
4/12/2023 1:19 PM
Created by:
Christian Meagher
Community Collaborations
Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP)
Community
Valley Council of Health & Human Services Food Security Task Force
Community
Community Alliance for Research and Engagement (CARE)
Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center
