Penn State ProduceRx Feasibility Study

Completed

Conditions studied: Dietary Modification

In brief

To provide "prescriptions" for weekly Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) boxes of fruits and vegetables to patients, accompanied by nutritional education (e.g. printed newsletters and YouTube videos), and evaluate benefits for participants by exploring commitment to the program, opinions about healthy eating, retention of nutrition and food preparation knowledge, overall takeaway from the program, as well as self-assessment of health status. To establish the overall feasibility of an effective "prescription produce" program for at-risk and underserved patients - called "ProduceRx" - by utilizing produce from regional farms in addition to the resources of the Penn State Health System and an interdisciplinary team of healthcare workers (dietitians, dietetic interns, and medical students). To provide a proof-of-concept for this model (i.e. ProduceRx + interdisciplinary approach to health education) for other healthcare institutions.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT02794818

Run by

Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

People needed

32

Starts

2016-08-01

Expected to finish

2016-12-01

Last updated by the study team

2017-02-20

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 75. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Individuals (ages 18-75) who are currently patients in the Penn State Hershey Health system in the departments of Family and Community Medicine, General Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, General Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery/Bariatric, Endocrinology, and Cardiology.
• Individuals at risk for developing chronic illness and metabolic disease as identified by PCP, care coordinator, or a participating physician from an abovementioned specialty.
• Individuals willing to participate in the program and complete a pre-program survey and a post-program survey in December 2016.
• Individuals with access to transportation to and from the CSA drop-off sites.
• Individuals willing/able to pay the $10 subsidized "copay" for the weekly box of produce (federal food stamps in the form of SNAP/EBT vouchers will be accepted by Strites Orchard as a means of payment).
• Individuals that speak English.
• Individuals with difficulty obtaining fresh produce or lack of knowledge regarding healthy cooking methods and nutrition, as determined by PCP or a participating physician from an abovementioned specialty.
• Prescribers (physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants) in the Penn State Hershey Health system in the departments of Family and Community Medicine, General Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, General Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery/Bariatric, Endocrinology, and Cardiology.

You may not qualify if…

• Individuals outside of immediate areas of Strites Orchard's CSA drop-off sites (which include the following: Bosler Avenue, Lemoyne; Koch Lane Harrisburg (Paxtonia); Allendale, Camp Hill; Strites Orchard, Harrisburg; Dogwood Lane, Dillsburg; East Willow Street, Elizabethtown; Hampden Summit; Linglestown Rd., Harrisburg; St. Johns Drive, Camp Hill; Shetland Dr., Hummelstown; West Areba Ave., Hershey; Wickerberry Lane, Palmyra; W. Green St., Mechanicsburg; Brisban St. Harrisburg (Paxtang); Cattell St., Middletown; and N. 2nd St., Harrisburg.)
• Individuals unaffiliated with the Penn State Hershey Health System.
• Individuals who already have sufficient fruits and vegetables in their diet as determined by the participating physician.
• Non-English speaking participants.

Where it is running

• Penn State Milton Hershey Medical Center — Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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