Implementing food insecurity screening tool and interventions in primary care setting

Purpose of the Project: This project aims to improve food access among food insecure (FI) individuals in the community through screening and referral to community resources. Setting and Design: This project will be surveyed with a convenience sample of individuals in a primary care clinic in central New Jersey. Methodology: Participants were screened over three months, from January 2022 to March 2022. The United States Department of Agriculture’s Six question survey was administered three times and participants were provided with community resource packets. The sample size was composed of nine individuals. Freidman’s test was used to analyze data. Results: There was no evidence to suggest that screening and providing primary care participants with information on community resources improved patients’ access to adequate food. Asymptotic Significance (the p-value based on chi-square approximation) of X 2(2) = 2.29, p = 0.134). Implications for Practice: FI has been linked to poor health outcomes. Making FI screening a part of every routine office visit can potentially prevent nutritionally related comorbidities and improve patient outcomes. Currently, primary care settings do not routinely screen for FI. Normalizing conversations regarding FI can remove the stigma associated with seeking help and improve patient outcomes. Screening for FI and documenting results can provide greater insight into the complexities of life for those suffering from FI.D.N.P.Includes bibliographical reference