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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Food security and nutrition

Rural Child Hunger Summit 2021: Collaborative Planning and Community Engagement Strategies
A recorded webinar that discusses strategies to end child hunger in rural areas, utilizing community-focused strategies, such as collaborative planning, meal delivery, food access in healthcare settings, sustainable planning, the intersection of race/ethnicity and food insecurity, and more.
Additional links: Collaborative Planning and Community Engagement Strategies to Address Rural Child Hunger - Slide Deck, Emerging Strategies in Food Access in Health Care Settings - Slide Deck, Fresh Ideas for Sustainable Programming in Rural Communities - Slide Deck, Inequity in Food Systems: The Impacts of Whiteness and COVID-19 on Food Insecurity, Spotlight on Emergency Meals-to-You: Reimaging Summer Meals in Rural Areas - Slide Deck
Author(s): Mia Medina, Michelle Troup, Evette Tovar-Lugo, Kathy Holt
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Hunger and the Local Economy: Integrated State-Level Approaches to Food Access
Describes food insecurity challenges in rural America. Explores state policy options to improve food access such as food bucks, food procurement reforms, farm to school programs, cooperative development tax incentives, farmers markets, establishing food hubs, and supporting small grocers. Offers policy recommendations to increase access to healthy food and address food insecurity in rural communities.
Author(s): Nathan Beacom
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Affairs
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The Hospital as a Convener in Rural Communities
Examines the traditional and non-traditional role of rural hospitals as conveners that support community health initiatives and population health. Discusses examples of approaches used by rural and urban serving hospitals from Michigan and Virginia. Offers steps for hospitals on becoming a convener, and suggests community stakeholders for forming partnerships to improve health and well-being in their communities.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Rural Initiatives Addressing Community Social Needs
Describes the role of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in improving population health and addressing social needs in their communities. Profiles two Critical Access Hospital social needs programs: Lakewood Health System's food access initiatives in Minnesota, and Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital's NEK Prosper. Provides an overview of both programs and highlights best practices of each.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr, Ira Moscovice
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Mapping Food Insecurity-Related 2-1-1 Calls in a 10-County Area of Central Texas by Zip Code: Exploring the Role of Geographic Food Access, Urbanicity and Demographic Indicators
Analyzes the relationship between food insecurity and geographic food access through the location and urbanicity of 2-1-1 food calls. Examines 55,405 food calls made in 2018 in Texas and the relative location of the ZIP code of the caller in relationship to nearby supermarkets. Provides descriptive statistics on the demographic makeup of caller locations, including amount of calls per county.
Author(s): Kathryn M. Janda, Deborah Salvo Dominguez, Nalini Ranjit, et al.
Citation: Journal of Community Health, 46(1), 86-97
Date: 02/2021
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Increase Healthy Beverage Consumption and Reduce Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs): A Community Roadmap
Interactive resource provides guidance for tribal communities to reduce the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and promote healthy beverage options. Provides resources and information to support healthy beverage programs, such as how to conduct a needs assessment, identify stakeholders, and choose an appropriate strategy.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Notah Begay III Foundation
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A Just Recovery for Rural Equity in Wisconsin
Provides information for advancing health equity, with respect to the impact of COVID-19, for rural populations in Wisconsin. Discusses topics fundamental to supporting rural health equity, including: healthcare access, broadband and infrastructure, food and agriculture, job security, and availability of social services. Identifies proven policies and practices that can be implemented at the local and state level.
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
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A Randomized Controlled Trial Measuring Effects of Extra Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefits on Child Food Security in Low-Income Families in Rural Kentucky
Results of a study to determine whether the Ticket to Healthy Food (TTHF) program would reduce child food insecurity among rural, low-income Kentucky households. Features statistics on 1,623 TTHF households, including demographics and food security status before and after the intervention.
Author(s): Gregory J. Chojnacki, Andrew G. Gothro, Philip M. Gleason, Sarah G. Forrestal
Citation: Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 121(1), Supplement, S9-S21
Date: 01/2021
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A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of a Home-Delivered Food Box on Food Security in Chickasaw Nation
Presents a study evaluating a free school meal program in 12 rural Oklahoma counties within the Chickasaw Nation from 2016 to 2018. Breaks down data by household income, children in household, and age of children, among other measures.
Author(s): Ronette R. Briefel, Gregory J. Chojnacki, Vivian Gabor, et al.
Citation: Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 121(1), S46-S58
Date: 01/2021
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Program Implementation and Church Members' Health Behaviors in a Countywide Study of the Faith, Activity, and Nutrition Program
Analyzes relationships between Faith, Activity, and Nutrition (FAN) program implementation and physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, and self-efficacy for improving these behaviors among church members in a southeastern, medically underserved county in a rural area. Features data and statistics on participants' health behaviors and self-efficacy at baseline and at a 12-month follow-up.
Author(s): John A. Bernhart, Sara Wilcox, Ruth P. Saunders, Brent Hutto, Jessica Stucker
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 18
Date: 01/2021
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