Food for Thought: Food Insecurity Screening in the Emergency Department
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
This study compares food insecurity disclosure rates in face-to-face interviews versus electronic formats, and explores caregiver preferences regarding screening modality and location, in a large, urban pediatric emergency department. Half of the participants were screened for food insecurity verbally, face-to-face by a research assistant, and half of the participants were screened electronically by a tablet.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Detailed Description
Children are disproportionately affected by the rise in poverty rates in the United States, and economic hardships can compromise their development, negatively affect their overall health, and adversely affect their abilities to succeed in school and in life. Food insecurity (FI)-the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate or safe foods- while strongly associated with poverty, is an independent predictor of poor health outcomes for children.
The Emergency Department (ED) of academic medical centers often serves as a point of care entry for impoverished and high-risk families. Although there is a growing interest in the healthcare system's ability to address Social Determinants of Health (SDH), little is known about food insecurity in the pediatric ED. Additionally, there are limited data on how to implement FI screening into practice in a way that maximizes elicitation of social need, while assuring patient and family comfort.
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Active Comparator: Tablet Screening Food insecurity screening conducted via electronic tablet |
Other: Food Insecurity Screening Tablet
The intervention is the type of screening modality used to identify food insecurity: verbal face-to-face, or tablet-based screening
|
| Active Comparator: Verbal Screening Food insecurity screening conducted via verbal face-to-face interview |
Other: Food Insecurity Screening Verbal
The intervention is the type of screening modality used to identify food insecurity: verbal face-to-face, or tablet-based screening
|
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Presence of Food Insecurity [12 months]
Affirmative response to either of the two, validated screening questions for food insecurity. Investigators measured food insecurity using the validated two-question "Hunger Vital Sign" screening tool, with yes/no responses. These two questions are: within the past 12 months "we worried whether our food would run out before we got money to buy more" and "the food we bought just didn't last and we didn't have money to get more."
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Preferred Screening Modality [4 weeks]
Report of screening modality preference: verbal, tablet, or no preference
- Comfort level with screening location [4 weeks]
Report of comfort with screening in the emergency department and in the primary care setting
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
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English speaking
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Adult caregiver accompanying pediatric patient in the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) emergency department
Exclusion Criteria:
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Patient (child) in critical condition
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Patient (child) >18 years of age
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Previously enrolled in study
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Children's Hospital of Philadelphia | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | United States | 19104 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
- University of Pennsylvania
Investigators
None specified.Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
None provided.- 17-013696