The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Access: Insights from First-Person Accounts in a Safety-Net Health Care System.

The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected populations that were already facing socioeconomic disadvantages and limited access to health care services. The livelihood of millions was further compromised when strict shelter-in-place measures forced them out of their jobs. The way that individuals accessed food during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed as a result of declines in household income, food chain supply disruptions, and social distance measures.

Facilitators and Barriers to Patient Attendance at a Free Health Center Produce Market.

Introduction: Patient participation in healthcare system‒sponsored efforts to address food insecurity varies widely. This mixed-methods study sought to understand the patient sociodemographic factors associated with and barriers and facilitators to the use of a monthly produce market held at Cambridge Health Alliance in partnership with The Greater Boston Food Bank.

Methods: Baseline surveys (N=715) were conducted from February 2019 to March 2020 before market attendance, followed by 1-year follow-up surveys (n=514) and qualitative interviews (n=45).

Providing Food Assistance During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of a Free Produce Market at a Health Care Center.

The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened economic precarity and nearly doubled food insecurity in the United States. We describe how a free produce market at a Massachusetts health center adapted to exponentially increase its reach and offerings while continuing to safely distribute food to a low-income community during the pandemic.

Participant Perceptions of a Free Fresh Produce Market at a Health Center.

Objective: To examine participant perceptions of a free, monthly produce market at a health center in Massachusetts.

Design: Participants were recruited at a produce market between June 2019 and January 2020 and engaged in a 30-65-minute focus group (n = 3 English language; n = 2 Spanish; n = 2 Arabic) conducted by trained facilitators using a semistructured guide.

Participants: Adults (n = 49) who had attended the market at least twice in the previous 6 months.