Food assistance strategies for patients of an infusion clinic: a pilot randomized controlled trial (protocol number: STU-2023-0387)

Top Things to Know

Co-locating food assistance with clinical care or offering home delivery can reduce barriers and improve adherence.

MTMs may better support dietary improvements for infusion patients, but programs should address taste preferences and consider providing meals for household members to enhance utilization.

FIM interventions must ensure high-quality, culturally appropriate foods and flexible scheduling to maximize patient engagement and health impact.

Summary of Conclusion/Findings

This pilot randomized controlled trial tested the feasibility and exploratory effects of three food assistance strategies for infusion clinic patients with food insecurity: pantry referral only, pantry plus medically tailored meals (MTM), and pantry plus $75 monthly payments. Among 150 screened patients, 45 enrolled, and 87% completed the program. Adherence to pantry visits was low with only 54% attended at least one appointment, and just 19% completed all three months. MTM recipients showed trends toward improved food security and increased fruit and vegetable intake, though changes were not statistically significant. Across all groups, perceived diet quality improved significantly over time, but there were no significant differences between groups. Qualitative feedback highlighted barriers such as transportation, scheduling conflicts, and poor food quality, while recommendations included co-located or home-delivered services and greater food variety.