Feasibility of Strategies to Increase SNAP Fruit and Vegetable Incentive Program Use for Families With Food Insecurity

Phase 1

Completed

• Conditions: Dietary Habits
• Interventions: Behavioral: Veggie Vouchers pilot

• Registration Number: NCT06593028
• Lead Sponsor: University of South Carolina

Brief Summary

The Veggie Vouchers pilot intervention aimed to increase awareness and utilization of an existing SNAP F\&V incentive program in South Carolina for families with food insecurity. Social determinants of health screenings were leveraged in a pediatric clinic to identify eligible families and provide information about this program. A free trial was then offered, with the long-term goal of increasing program use after the free trial ended. The primary aim was feasibility and acceptability of the Veggie Vouchers intervention among pediatricians and families.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2022-06-01
• Primary Completion: 2023-12-01
• Study Completion: 2023-12-31
• Status Verified: 2024-09
• Study First Submitted: 2024-09-06
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-09-09
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-09-09
• Study First Posted: 2024-09-12
• Last Update Posted: 2024-09-12

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 91

Inclusion Criteria

• 18 years of age or older
• Had a child 2-17 years of age
• Child lived in their home 50% of the time or more
• Child was a patient of the general pediatrics clinic enrolled in this study
• English-speaking
• Enrolled in SNAP
• Experiencing household food insecurity

Caregiver

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Exclusion Criteria

• Had purchased fruits and vegetables within the past year at the community food site participating in this study

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Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Veggie Vouchers pilot intervention	Veggie Vouchers pilot	During well-child visits, caregivers received brief education from pediatricians about a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) fruit and vegetable incentive program in South Carolina. Following the clinic visit, a free trial for this SNAP fruit and vegetable incentive program was then offered. The free trial consisted of 3 vouchers, each good for one free fruit and vegetable box.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Intervention feasibility: recruitment screening eligibility	Through study completion, approximately 1 year	Percent of caregivers screened who were eligible
Intervention feasibility: recruitment screening enrollment	Through study completion, an average of 1 year	Percent of eligible caregivers who enrolled
Intervention feasibility: recruitment duration	Through study completion, an average of 1 year	Duration to reach the target sample
Intervention feasibility: retention attendance	Through study completion, an average of 1 year	Assessment completion rates
Intervention feasibility: retention dropout	Through study completion, an average of 1 year	Percent of sample that drops out or is lost to follow-up
Intervention acceptability: caregivers	Upon completing the intervention, approximately 5 months after baseline	Acceptability was assessed via surveys on caregivers satisfaction of the intervention
Intervention acceptability: pediatricians	Upon completing the intervention, approximately 1 year	Acceptability was assessed via surveys on pediatricians perceptions of the intervention
Intervention acceptability	Upon completing the intervention, approximately 3 months after baseline	Exit surveys were used to assess reasons for low utilization of the intervention
Intervention utilization: free trial redemption	Through free trial period, approximately 3 months from baseline	How many free trial vouchers were ordered and received
Intervention utilization: SNAP purchases (box frequency)	Through study completion, approximately 1 year	Number of additional fruit and vegetable boxes purchased using SNAP electronics benefit card
Intervention utilization: SNAP purchases (family uptake)	Through study completion, approximately 1 year	How many families purchased additional fruit and vegetable boxes using their SNAP electronics benefit card

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Household food insecurity	Baseline, after receiving each free fruit and vegetable box (~1x/month for 3 months after baseline), and end of the intervention (~5 months after baseline for redeemers; 3 months after baseline for non-redeemers)	The 18-item United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Household Food Security Module was used to assess household food security status. Scores range 0 to 18. Higher scores indicate greater degrees of food insecurity.
Household nutrition security	Baseline, after receiving each free fruit and vegetable box (~1x/month for 3 months after baseline), and end of the intervention (~5 months after baseline for redeemers; 3 months after baseline for non-redeemers)	The Household Nutrition Security scale was used to assess a household's ability to acquire foods that meet their nutritional needs without resource limitations or worry. Scores range 0 to 4. Higher scores indicate a greater degree of household nutrition security.
Household healthfulness choice	Baseline, after receiving each free fruit and vegetable box (~1x/month for 3 months after baseline), and end of the intervention (~5 months after baseline for redeemers; 3 months after baseline for non-redeemers)	The Household Nutrition Security scale was used to assess a household's ability to acquire foods that meet their health needs without resource limitations or worry. Scores range 0 to 4. Higher scores indicate a greater degree of household healthfulness choice.
Household dietary choice	Baseline, after receiving each free fruit and vegetable box (~1x/month for 3 months after baseline), and end of the intervention (~5 months after baseline for redeemers; 3 months after baseline for non-redeemers)	The Household Dietary Choice scale was used to assess a household's ability to acquire foods that meet their dietary preferences without resource limitations or worry. Scores range 0 to 4. Higher scores indicate a greater degree of household dietary choice
Dietary intake	Baseline, after receiving each free fruit and vegetable box (~1x/month for 3 months after baseline), and end of the intervention (~5 months after baseline for redeemers; 3 months after baseline for non-redeemers)	The National Cancer Institute's Dietary Screener Questionnaire (DSQ) was used to assess caregiver's report of children's dietary intake. Responses are quantified as cup equivalents per day, grams per day, milligrams per day, ounce equivalents per day, or teaspoon equivalents per day. Whether higher or lower numbers indicate more healthful or less healthful dietary intake is specific to each nutrient.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of South Carolina; 🇺🇸 Columbia, South Carolina, United States