Food Access, Value, and Optimization of Resources
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: FAVORes Workshop.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Food Insecurity, Health Behavior, Nutrition, Social Determinants of Health. Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- United States
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Overview
The main goal of the study is to examine the potential benefits of an educational workshop designed to help and support caregivers of children in families that struggle to get enough healthy food. The main questions are: * Does the FAVORes workshop impact household food and nutrition security? * Does the workshop change caregivers' knowledge, beliefs, and skills related to healthy food access? Participants will: * Attend four weekly in-person sessions (in English or Spanish) * Complete short surveys * Be interviewed after the workshop is completed (optional)
Detailed description
The FAVORes (Food Access, Value, and Optimization of Resources) study at Boston Children's Martha Eliot Health Center (MEHC) aims to help families struggling with healthy food access. Over one in three families with children in Massachusetts face food insecurity. Further, they lack consistent access to nutritious food. Families face challenges such as insufficient knowledge of available resources, financial constraints, time scarcity, and/or language barriers. Social determinants such as food insecurity have adverse consequences on child health outcomes.
The FAVORes workshop is an in-person educational program for caregivers of children at MEHC. It is a 4-session, group coaching workshop led by a Senior Patient Navigator who shares her own experiences with food insecurity and as a health coach. The workshop runs over 4 weeks, 1.5 hours each session, is taught in small groups, and is available in both English and Spanish.
This workshop is designed to empower caregivers of children. It shares simple tips and steps to help with meal planning, having family meals, and eating healthier. The workshop also encourages caregivers to learn from each other in a group setting. Specific topics covered include setting "S.M.A.R.T. goals" (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound), understanding community food resources, managing time for healthy eating, and connecting food to overall health and mental well-being. The overall hypothesis for the FAVORes study is that the workshop will lead to meaningful and positive changes for families struggling with food insecurity.
Study Aims:
1. To examine the impact of the workshop on household food and nutrition security. 2. To explore changes in caregivers' knowledge, beliefs, and skills related to healthy food access.
Interventions
- Behavioral FAVORes Workshop
The FAVORes (Food Access, Value, and Optimization of Resources) Workshop is a 4-week, in-person group coaching program for caregivers of children in food-insecure households. The intervention focuses on financial and nutrition literacy, community resource navigation, healthy eating habits, and setting family goals.
Primary outcome measures
- Household Food Security Status at Baseline [Time frame: At baseline (week 1)]
- Household Food Security Status at Week 4 [Time frame: Week 4]
- Nutrition Security Status at Baseline [Time frame: At baseline (week 1)]
- Nutrition Security Status at Week 4 [Time frame: Week 4]
Secondary outcome measures (7)
- Participant reported confidence in setting S.M.A.R.T. goals at Week 4 [Time frame: Week 4]
- Participant reported learning about new ways to make healthier food choices at Week 4 [Time frame: Week 4]
- Participant reported knowledge about saving money on groceries in Week 4 [Time frame: Week 4]
- Participant reported knowledge of support programs/agencies in Week 4 [Time frame: Week 4]
- Participant reported improvement in family well-being in Week 4 [Time frame: Week 4]
- Participant reported workshop satisfaction in Week 4 [Time frame: Week 4]
- Participant reported likelihood of recommending workshop in Week 4 [Time frame: Week 4]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- At least 18 years old
- Proficient in English or Spanish
- Attendance at the 1-hour "Towards Food Equity" Zoom session led by MEHC Social Work
Exclusion criteria
\- Inability or anticipated inability to attend scheduled in-person workshop sessions for the duration of the study.
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Allocation
- N/A
- Model
- Single group
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
Study locations
United States · 1 center
- Martha Eliot Health Center — Jamaica Plain
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07149350 · IRB-P00051793