Food Security, Nutritional Outcomes and Program Satisfaction among Food Assistance, Inc Participants Presented by: Anna Matteson Undergraduate student, Nutrition

Team Members Jane Carlson Jane Carlson  Executive Director, Food Assistance Inc. Anna Matteson Anna Matteson  Undergraduate student, Nutrition Jan Swanson Jan Swanson  Undergraduate student, Nutrition Lauren Haldeman Lauren Haldeman  Associate Professor, Nutrition

Food Assistance, Inc. Mission: Mission:  To provide food, friendship and hope to low income seniors and disabled in Guilford County

Program Characteristics ~ 400 participants ~ 400 participants  Must be 60+ years  Low or fixed income  Limited mobility  No family in the area  Disabled

Volunteers ~ 100 volunteers ~ 100 volunteers  Warehouse assistant  Organize a food collection or paper drive  Collect paper grocery bags & travel size personal hygiene items  Delivery Assistant  Adopt-A Senior UNCG Department of Nutrition undergraduate students: UNCG Department of Nutrition undergraduate students:  Provide basic nutrition information  Conduct volunteer and participant surveys  Enter and analyze data

OBJECTIVE To assess food security, nutritional outcomes and program satisfaction of Food Assistance Inc. participants To assess food security, nutritional outcomes and program satisfaction of Food Assistance Inc. participants

RESEARCH QUESTIONS As a result of participation in Food Assistance, Inc., Do participants feel secure in their ability to meet their monthly food needs? Do participants feel secure in their ability to meet their monthly food needs? Do participants consume healthy foods (i.e., fruits/vegetables, lean meats, low fat dairy products and whole grain foods)? Do participants consume healthy foods (i.e., fruits/vegetables, lean meats, low fat dairy products and whole grain foods)? Do participants pay attention to provided nutrition education materials and use this information to make nutritional behavior changes? Do participants pay attention to provided nutrition education materials and use this information to make nutritional behavior changes? Are participants satisfied with Food Assistance, Inc.? Are participants satisfied with Food Assistance, Inc.?

METHODS In person interviews (Target sample = 30-35) In person interviews (Target sample = 30-35) Quantitative Survey Quantitative Survey  Socioeconomics/demographics  Self-reported health status, height and weight  Fruit/vegetable, low fat dairy, whole grain intake frequency  Food insecurity  Program satisfaction

Methods Qualitative interview Qualitative interview  Audio recorded  Semi structured interview guide  Audio tapes transcribed verbatim and content analyzed Interview length ~ 1.0 hour Interview length ~ 1.0 hour

Sample Interview Guide Questions Tell me about your health and nutrition/food concerns Tell me about your health and nutrition/food concerns Describe how Food Assistance, Inc. has affected your monthly food needs Describe how Food Assistance, Inc. has affected your monthly food needs Describe how your diet has been affected as a result of participation in Food Assistance, Inc. Describe how your diet has been affected as a result of participation in Food Assistance, Inc. How has your quality of life been affected as a result of participation in Food Assistance, Inc. How has your quality of life been affected as a result of participation in Food Assistance, Inc. How much do you rely on the program provided nutrition education materials for making healthy behavior changes? How much do you rely on the program provided nutrition education materials for making healthy behavior changes? Describe your level of need for and satisfaction with Food Assistance, Inc. Describe your level of need for and satisfaction with Food Assistance, Inc.

FINDINGS (N=10) FINDINGS Participant Demographics (N=10)Characteristic Age (mean) 69.6 years (Range 37-96) Gender Female Female80.0 Race/Ethnicity Black Black White White Asian Asian Income <$1000/month <$1000/month60.0 Household size 170.0

Need for Food Assistance (N=10) Variable% Self-rate need for food delivery Needed/very needed/extremely needed Receive food assistance from other agencies No100.0 Choosing between buying food and paying for rent/mortgage/ meds? all the time/sometimes 60.0 Caregiver assistance No60.0

Food Insecurity Variable% Food didn’t last, no money to buy more Often/sometimes true 80.0 Cannot afford to eat balanced meal Often/sometimes true80.0 Skipped meals because no money Yes50.0 Eat less because no money Yes50.0 Hungry but did not eat because no money Yes30.0

Health Status (N=10) Variable% Diabetes YesYes40.0 Heart Disease/stroke YesYes50.0 High BP YesYes80.0 High Cholesterol YesYes60.0 Kidney problems YesYes30.0

Body Mass Index (BMI) (N=10) * Based on self-reported ht/wt.

Fruits and Vegetables Variable% Current fruit consumption <= couple times/week <= couple times/week70.0 Current vegetable consumption at least once a day at least once a day60.0 Current low fat dairy consumption <= couple times/week<= couple times/week90.0 Current whole grain consumption at least once a dayat least once a day60.0

Benefits of Food Assistance Inc. Variable% Program helps you feel better about your food situation Yes Yes100.0 Satisfaction with program Satisfied/very satisfiedSatisfied/very satisfied100.0 Volunteer established friendship* Yes Yes100.0 Other acts of kindness Yes Yes70.0 Helpful in assisting you become more independent Yes Yes90.0

Serving the People

Providing Food and Hope…. “It’s a big help to me…I’d be in pretty bad shape.” “It’s a big help to me…I’d be in pretty bad shape.” “I severely need the services. I can better plan meals, make better choices, and eat more balanced meals.” “I severely need the services. I can better plan meals, make better choices, and eat more balanced meals.” “My stamps aren’t enough to carry me through the month. By the time the food comes it’s very needed and helpful.” “My stamps aren’t enough to carry me through the month. By the time the food comes it’s very needed and helpful.”

“The nutrition information helps a lot with new ideas and recipes.” “The nutrition information helps a lot with new ideas and recipes.” “Without Food Assistance I wouldn’t be able to eat like I should eat.” “Without Food Assistance I wouldn’t be able to eat like I should eat.” “Without Food Assistance there would be a lot of food I need but couldn’t get.” “Without Food Assistance there would be a lot of food I need but couldn’t get.” Providing Food & Hope…

“We’d be hurtin bad without the Food Assistance program.” “We’d be hurtin bad without the Food Assistance program.” “It’s helped relieve stress…give me a greater sense of freedom to my diet.” “It’s helped relieve stress…give me a greater sense of freedom to my diet.” “It’s been a blessing… I really appreciate it.” “It’s been a blessing… I really appreciate it.” Providing Food & Hope…

Providing Friendship… “She’s very friendly and very sweet..puts my food up…willing to help if there’s anything I need.” “She’s very friendly and very sweet..puts my food up…willing to help if there’s anything I need.” “I’ve certainly met nice people.” “I’ve certainly met nice people.” “It gives me something to look forward to [when the volunteer calls and lets her know she will be there].” “It gives me something to look forward to [when the volunteer calls and lets her know she will be there].” “We’re past friends. She’s better to me than my own people.” “We’re past friends. She’s better to me than my own people.”

Requests More fruits More fruits Less canned foods Less canned foods More juice More juice

CHALLENGES Contacting participants Contacting participants Explaining the study Explaining the study Navigating interview Navigating interview Level of understanding Level of understanding Living environments Living environments

Lessons Learned Conducting Research Conducting Research –A lot of time goes into setting up the study –Proper interview technique Population Awareness Population Awareness –Low assistance availability for seniors and disabled –A population with the highest need has the most challenges

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THANK YOU Office of Leadership and Service- Learning (OLSL) Office of Leadership and Service- Learning (OLSL)  2009 COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH GRANTS Food Assistance Inc. participants Food Assistance Inc. participants