In our Research Round-Up we share multiple SIREN-relevant articles published since our last newsletter. For a full list, see the SIREN Evidence and Resource Library. As always, if you are aware of resources that you think should be added to the library, please send them our way.
Research Highlight
Produce Prescription Subsidy for Patients with Diabetes: A Pragmatic Randomized Clinical Trial Drake C, Buckman C, Brucker A, et al. | JAMA Internal Medicine
This $80/mo produce prescription program among food insecure individuals with diabetes did not improve cardiometabolic health or health care utilization.
Accompanying commentary: Addressing Food Insecurity is Complicated but Needed Durant A, Corbie R | JAMA Internal Medicine
Addressing Health-Related Social Needs Through Medicaid Section 1115 Waivers: Challenges and Opportunities Lantz PM, Hiltner S | Health Affairs
This brief provides a helpful summary of the recent history, key challenges, and the promise of using 1115 waivers to address nonmedical, health-related social needs among Medicaid beneficiaries.
Food Security Interventions – Effectiveness Studies
Health Systems Approaches for Advancing Implementation and Policy for Food is Medicine Shah PP, Aggarwal M, Aspry KE, et al. | JAMA Health Forum
A summary of federal and state-level policies for advancing nutrition security and food is medicine.
Influence of a Pediatric Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program in Flint Michigan on Caregiver Perceptions of Pediatric Health Care Saxe-Custack A, Haggerty D, Shipp G, LaChance J | Preventive Medicine Reports
Use of a $15 produce prescription program was associated with increased caregiver satisfaction of care.
Food is Medicine in Action: Dietary and Food Security Outcomes of a Health Care-Based Community-Supported Agriculture Program Colasanti K, Di Stefano F, Gerhart J, Shores A, Smoger K | Health Promotion Practice
Participants experienced increases in fruit and vegetable intake and household food security.
Food Security Interventions – Implementation Studies
Navigating Food Insecurity: Insights from Families Participating in a Produce Delivery Program Gorecki MC, Anderson CB, Banister A, et al. | Academic Pediatrics
Food Rx + CHW: A Community Health Worker-Led Medically Tailored Grocery Intervention to Address Food Insecurity and Type 2 Diabetes, A Pilot Randomized Trial Bridges KM, Woodward J, Murray M, et al. | BMC Public Health
Impact of Text Message Reminders on Attendance at a Health Center-Based Produce Market: A Quasi-Experimental Study Desrochers O, Wang B, Burgun R, et al. | Journal of General Internal Medicine
Social Isolation Interventions
Loneliness as a Vital Sign: Toward a Biopsychosocial Reframing of Social Disconnection Warren A | Journal of Primary Care & Community Health
Reframing loneliness as a vital sign helps make loneliness “a clinically relevant, measurable, and actionable health metric.”
Rethinking Health-care Systems to Tackle Social Isolation and Frailty Mehrabi F, Pomeroy ML, Hoogendijk EO, et al. | The Lancet Public Health
This article highlights four priorities to address social isolation and frailty: (1) screening in primary and acute care; (2) integrated medical and social care; (3) social prescribing; and (4) equity-focused policy and research within ageing strategies.
Homelessness Interventions
Supportive Housing Program and Influenza Vaccination Rates Among Veterans Experiencing Homelessness Graham LA, Decker HC, Tsai J. | JAMA Network Open
“Veterans recently enrolled in HUD-VASH had 48% higher odds of receiving an influenza vaccine than other veterans experiencing homelessness.”
Financial Security Interventions
Unconditional Cash Transfers to Improve Health Behaviors Among Primary Care Patients: A Qualitative Sub-Study of a Randomized Clinical Trial Gibson LA, Richterman A, Randall A, et al. | Social Science & Medicine
This qualitative study identified 4 potential pathways through which cash transfers may improve health: 1) temporary reductions in stress and anxiety, 2) changes in diet and physical activity, 3) improved medication adherence, and 4) increased healthcare seeking behavior. Participants in the control group were disappointed not to receive the intervention, but felt the process was fair because all participants were economically vulnerable.
Transportation Security Interventions
A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Transportation Assistance Program in Liver Transplant (TAP-LT) Candidates Zhou K, Wong C, Almanza J, et al. | Liver Transplantation
This pilot trial showed Lyft rideshares to be feasible and highly acceptable to liver transplant candidates, supporting development of a larger efficacy trial.
Screening / Awareness
Experiences of Social Risk Screening in the Safety-Net Among Patients with Mental Health Needs Loo SS, Ogden SN, Ospina J, et al. | Journal of General Internal Medicine
This qualitative study found that “asking patients about their social needs further emphasizes their already vulnerable position when seeking medical care, particularly when addressing mental health concerns. Patients stated that they were reluctant to disclose future health-related social needs when prior reported needs were not supported or addressed (“double-loss”).”
Barriers and Facilitators to Screening for Anxiety and Intimate Partner Violence Cantor AG, Barnes C, Likumahuwa-Ackman S, et al. | Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
The following could improve anxiety and IPV screening practices in primary care: “Workflow diagrams and resource guides responsive to identified screening barriers and facilitators, including clarification of insurance coverage for preventive services, and resources to support implementation of protocols of screening methods, clinical documentation, and referrals for anxiety and IPV.”
Applying a Process Mapping Methodology to Identify Barriers and Facilitators to Social Needs Screener and Medical-Legal Partnership Integration into Primary Care Facilities Graham JD, Kraschnewski J, Allen S, et al. | Journal of Clinical and Translational Science
Facilitators identified: “Review and adaptation of social needs screening (SNS) should be regular; involvement of providers and staff is necessary for SNS integration; cross-disciplinary training, physical space, and information technology is needed to promote MLP; and identification of local resources for social need referrals is critical for provider buy-in.”
Enhancing Outcomes for Geriatric Patients with Evaluation of the Social Determinants of Health Toland M, Winegar R | Geriatric Nursing
A qualitative improvement study increased screening by 70% and SDOH identification by 58% compared to the pre-intervention baseline.
Improving Social Needs Screening in General Paediatrics Through Project SEEK Feeney C, Monroe B, Agbim C, Kamath S, Parente V | BMJ Open Quality
“Rates of screening hospitalized children improved from 0% to 57% after various interventions, including nursing education and feedback, providing meal trays from the cafeteria to families in need, and integrating the screening questionnaire into the electronic health record.”
Medicaid Policy
Amplifying Community Perspectives in Medicaid Policymaking: Findings from North Carolina Debab S, Repka S, Huber K, et al. | Health Affairs Scholar
Addressing health-related social needs was one of 6 Medicaid improvement priorities identified by interviewed community members.
University of San Francisco California