ABSTRACT
Food insecurity is "a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food" and has been identified as a hidden epidemic which has expanded with the recent COVID pandemic. Increased attention has been given to the importance of health care provider (HCP) assessment of a patient's food security. Little is known about if and how HCPs make the decision to discuss food insecurity with patients. Stereotypes of what types of patients experience food insecurity may result in patients at risk not being identified. Because HCPS may perceive this as a difficult topic to address in healthcare encounters, opportunity exists to understand how and when they choose to inquire about food insecurity. This study seeks to identify how HCPs make the decision to?screen patients for food insecurity and barriers and bias that may impact screening. As a pilot study, 50 urban and rural HCPs will be surveyed about their?decision-making process when screening patients for food insecurity. A subset of respondents will participate in in-depth interviews exploring food security screening experiences and attitudes. Initial survey and interview data will be used to develop more salient survey questions to be distributed to all primary care physicians (N-310) who participate as volunteer subjects in an established statewide research network. By ICCH 2022 the initial survey and interviews will have been completed. Findings: from the project should help identify how many providers regularly ask patients about food security and how and when they choose to do this. In addition, barriers and effective approaches to these conversations will be identified. Understanding food security screening practices and barriers can support identification of patients facing this health challenge and HCPs communication needs in engaging in food security conversations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Patient Education & Counseling is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)