Comparison of Produce Prescription Benefit Dosage

University of California San Francisco (UCSF)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Food Insecurity

Treatments: Behavioral: Monetary benefit to purchase fruits and vegetables

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05978843

A999999

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this study is to determine the relationship between produce prescription program 'dose' on benefit redemption, food insecurity, and fruit and vegetable consumption. Participants will be randomized to receive one of three fruit and vegetable benefit dose amounts for 6 months ($40, $80, or $110/month).

Full description

Emerging evidence from the growing body of research around 'Food is Medicine' interventions shows promise that produce prescriptions (PPR) improve health by enabling purchases of healthy foods, reducing food insecurity, and improving diet quality. However, PPR amounts are often set seemingly arbitrarily, without clear connection to their intended purpose. In this study, investigators will conduct a three-armed randomized trial of 240 participants in Stockton, CA to test the impact of three 'doses' of a fruit and vegetable benefit on benefit redemption, food security, and fruit and vegetable intake. The goal of this study is to determine the relationship between PPR program 'dose' and the key intermediate outcomes of benefit redemption (primary outcome), food insecurity, and consumption of incentivized foods (secondary outcomes). Investigators will also seek to identify any 'ceiling effect' above which further increases in benefit value do not lead to further benefit redemption. This will be highly informative for subsequent PPR research. Investigators will leverage the existing infrastructure of the Vouchers 4 Veggies - EatSF produce prescription program to ensure feasibility.

Enrollment: 242 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Individual enrolled in a First Five Program at El Concilio California, located in Stockton, CA
• Age 18+
• English or Spanish speaking
• Literacy sufficient to complete a written survey
• Technologic capacity to complete an online survey

Exclusion criteria

• non English or Spanish speaking
• cognitive impairment severe enough to interfere with understanding of the survey or consent form, whether due to cognitive delay, substance abuse, dementia, mental illness, or other etiologies
• Not enrolled in a First Five Program at El Concilio California
• Actively receiving another V4V/EatSF card

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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242 participants in 3 patient groups

Arm 1 - 10% TFP

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants will receive $40/month in fruit and vegetable benefits for 6 months ($240 total).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Monetary benefit to purchase fruits and vegetables

Arm 2 - 20% TFP

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants will receive $80/month in fruit and vegetable benefits for 6 months ($480 total).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Monetary benefit to purchase fruits and vegetables

Arm 3 - 30% TFP

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants will receive $110/month in fruit and vegetable benefits for 6 months ($660).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Monetary benefit to purchase fruits and vegetables