Abstract
Food insecurity, defined as unreliable access to adequate food, is associated with poor diet quality and chronic diseases in aging individuals. This study co-designed, pilot tested, and evaluated a food insecurity screening and assessment tool for older adult patients in partnership with a community paramedicine program embedded into a rural family medicine practice in Ottawa, Canada. We conducted 13 semi-structured interviews with staff from a Family Health Team to understand their different approaches to informally assessing food insecurity. The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. We conducted an interactive workshop with the community paramedics to co-design a food insecurity screening and assessment tool. This tool is being pilot-tested and evaluated for a 6-month period ending in March 2024. Positive screenings lead to an assessment of food intake, meal preparation capabilities, and access to support. Results from the food insecurity assessment tool evaluation revealed that screening creates opportunities for meaningful conversations with patients regarding food access. Of the 60 older patients screened, about half showed signs of cognitive impairment and depended on caregivers for food provision. Additionally, about 20% of these patients were previously or currently reliant on food assistance services. Our tool is a first step to help systematically identify food-insecure older adults and enhance our understanding of the root causes of their food insecurity. Future steps include piloting the tool in other community paramedic services and adapting it for use by physicians, dietitians, and nurse practitioners in clinical environments.
Author Information
Krystal Kehoe MacLeod, University of Ottawa, Canada
Tracey Izzard, West Carleton Family Health Team, Canada
Kyle Sitka, West Carleton Family Health Team, Canada
Kimberley Hewton, West Carleton Family Health Team, Canada
Barry Bruce, West Carleton Family Health Team, Canada
Sarisha Philip, Bruyere Research Institute, Canada
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