Hunger in the hospital: Assessing inpatient caregiver food insecurity and a program to address it

Existing literature reveals poor access to affordable, nutritious food in hospitals. Ronald McDonald House Charities Bay Area runs a meal program to address in-hospital caregiver food insecurity, but the program has not been studied. We assessed how the meal program is affecting caregivers and opportunities to improve the program.

The present paper aims to assess: 1) the prevalence of inpatient caregiver food insecurity, barriers to caregiver food access, and effects of food insecurity on caregivers in three Bay Area children's hospitals, 2) use and impacts of the RMHC Bay Area meal program in addressing inpatient caregiver food insecurity, and 3) exploration of the meal program and opportunities for improvement.