Below, we share multiple SIREN-relevant articles published since the 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.
May Research Highlights
State Expansions in Medicaid Financial Assistance for Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries: Changes in Enrollment and Use Fung V, Cheng D, Price M, et al. | Health Services Research
The impact of Medicare Savings Programs (MSP) eligibility expansions on MSP enrollment varied across states, with larger increases seen in states that expanded eligibility by raising income limits versus by eliminating asset tests. In income-expansion states, enrollment gains were associated with greater prescription drug use and fewer hospitalizations.
Factors Associated with Produce Prescription Program Enrollment and Benefit Use Among Patients with Diabetes and at Risk for Food Insecurity Rader A, Buckman C, Pignone M, German JC, Spratt SE, McPeek Hinz E, et al. | Journal of Nutrition
Among nearly 10,000 patients with diabetes at risk for food insecurity who were contacted about a produce prescription program (which provided $80/month for fruits and vegetables) enrollment and benefit use varied significantly by demographics. Older adults, males, Medicaid enrollees, and those in high-deprivation areas were less likely to enroll, suggesting that targeted outreach strategies are needed to ensure equitable reach.
Impacts of a Produce Prescription Program on Food Security, Diet Quality, and Psychosocial Health of Adults with Medicaid and Chronic Health Conditions: A 12-Month Longitudinal Evaluation Zimmer R, Abdelfattah L, Shenberger D, Crotts C, Birken S, Hanchate A | Journal of General Internal Medicine
In this matched cohort study, Medicaid-insured adults with chronic conditions who received a 12-month produce prescription program (home-delivered produce plus dietitian coaching) showed significantly greater improvements in fruit and vegetable intake and loneliness compared to a SNAP-only group, with additional within-group improvements in food insecurity, depression, fatigue, and blood pressure.
Other New Research
We Care About Brooklyn: A Remote Precision Support Intervention Designed to Improve Maternal Health and Well-Being Afable A, Bruening S, Watson B, Araya F, Pardo C Women’s Health
This team presented these findings live at the 2025 SIREN National Research Meeting! Find their presentation here.
Potential for Bias in Social Needs Data Collection and Screening Activities in Health Care Settings Vest JR, Harle CA, McNamee C, Hammer NC, Gregory ME | JAMA Health Forum
Read the journal’s commentary on this paper here.
“What Do I Do About It?”: Perspectives About Conducting Health-Related Social Needs Screening and Response from Pediatricians Working at Federally Qualified Health Centers in the United States Lowery R, Wang L, Prasad RK, Gray MJ | Journal of Health Advocacy
“We Ask Because We Care”: Lived Experience of Social Determinants of Health Screening Among Social Workers and Nurse Case Managers Habrat ML, Smith SC, Ninneman A, Nelson D, Nelson LD | Journal of Primary Care and Community Health
A Mixed-Methods Study Exploring How Food Insecurity Screening Can Be Embedded in Routine Mental Health Care for Adults with Severe Mental Illness Tuschick E, Giles E, Smith J | Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics
Screening for Food Insecurity in Patients with Cirrhosis: A Pilot Study Byhoff E, Desrochers O, Rudel RK, Feld L, Goldberg DS, Bittermann T | Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology
Social Needs Screening in Hepatology Clinic: A Qualitative Study of Patient Experience Kim RG, Ballantyne A, Lancaster E, Galyean P, Sharareh N, Wallace A, et al. | BMC Gastroenterology
Addressing Health-Related Social Needs in Diabetes Care: Increasing Our Stride Toward Health Equity? O’Brien MJ, Formagini T | Diabetes Care
Embracing Co-Design and Interprofessional Teamwork to Build an Innovative Dashboard for a National Social Needs Screening and Referral Clinical Intervention in the Veterans Health Administration: Design and Development Study Russell LE, Leder SM, Boris J, Cohen AJ, Halladay CW, Mitchell KM, et al. | Journal of Medical Internet Research
Defining the Social Needs Service Cascade: Evidence from a Multistakeholder Qualitative Study Gilmore D, Bunger A, Garrity K, Bose-Brill S, Scheck McAlearney A, Hefner JL, et al. | Medical Care Research and Review
Medical-Legal Partnership as Value-Based Primary Care: Interprofessional Teamwork for Health-Related Social Needs Park JK, Beck AF, Warren K, Sage WM | Journal of General Internal Medicine
Assessing Caregiver Comfort with Linking the Health Care System and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Soltany KA, Lewis KH, Ospino-Sanchez B, Pack A, Montez K | JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting
Patient Perceptions of Family Physicians’ Roles in Addressing Food Insecurity Huang L, Flts A, Moosavi A, Jha S, Collins P | Journal of Primary Care and Community Health
Strengthening Care Through Food is Medicine: Healthcare Provider-Patient Relationships and Provider Fulfillment in a Produce Prescription Program Palmer S, Church J, Brooks S, Maletich K, Stotz S | Journal of Primary Care and Community Health
Commentaries and Blogs
Improving Research on Transportation Interventions in Health Care Razon N, Gottlieb LM | Health Services Research
Addressing the Health Dangers of Loneliness Among Older People Butler S | JAMA Health Forum
Reframing Social Drivers of Health in Patient Quality and Safety Sandhu S, Liu M, Gottlieb LM | Annals of Internal Medicine
From Patienthood to Active Collaboration: Advancing Lived Experience Expertise in Addressing the Economic Determinants of Mental Health Jiménez-Solomon O, López-Aybar L | Harvard Review of Psychiatry
