Understanding caregiver perspectives to improve food security screening in healthcare settings: A focus group study

Top Things to Know

Screening programs should prioritize trust-building, privacy protections, and culturally appropriate communication.

Resource navigation and referral follow-through may be as important as screening itself.

Community-based organizations can play a critical role in increasing engagement and trust.

Summary of Conclusion/Findings

This qualitative study used six focus groups involving 42 low-income caregivers to examine perceptions of food-security screening in healthcare settings. Participants expressed both appreciation for efforts to identify needs and concern about stigma, privacy, and potential repercussions such as involvement of child protective services. Spanish-speaking caregivers reported additional communication and language barriers. Caregivers emphasized the importance of receiving tangible support after screening rather than screening alone. Findings suggest that trust, transparency, and connections to community-based partners are central to successful social-needs screening initiatives.