Informing Inclusive Engagement in Clinical Research: Insights From a Long-Standing Community-Based Wellness and Prescription Produce Program

Top Things to Know

Addressing food insecurity through produce prescriptions not only improves nutrition but also builds trust and facilitates participation in health programs.

Combining fresh food provision with medication counseling and lifestyle education supports chronic disease management.

Bringing food and health services directly to underserved communities reduces barriers like transportation and cost.

Summary of Conclusion/Findings

This perspective article explores how a long-standing community-based wellness and Prescription Produce Program (PRx) can inform inclusive engagement in clinical research. The program, integrated within the Mobile Health and Wellness initiative, addresses social drivers of health (SDOH) such as food insecurity, transportation barriers, and housing instability. Over two years, 88 predominantly older, Black adults with multimorbidity and polypharmacy engaged in the PRx, which combined fresh produce provision, nutrition education, and medication adherence support. Retention rates were high (88% in 2022 and 77% in 2023), and participants who completed two consecutive years showed a significant improvement in self-reported medication adherence compared to baseline. These findings suggest that sustained, community-centered engagement can enhance adherence and potentially improve inclusion of historically marginalized groups in research.