Enhancing cultural humility in food is medicine services: A mixed-methods investigation of patient food and dietary preferences

Dietary inequities, influenced by sociocultural and economic factors, significantly affect health outcomes, particularly among underserved communities. To address these disparities, the Food is Medicine (FIM) movement strives to enhance access to nutritious food, provide education, and encourage behavioral changes. Boston Medical Center (BMC) ‘s Nourishing Our Community Program (NOCP) exemplifies this mission by offering FIM services such as an on-site food pantry, rooftop farm, and teaching kitchen. However, persistent barriers hinder the effectiveness of programs like NOCP. This quality improvement (QI) project employed mixed methods to refine existing and develop new patient-generated nutrition education materials and resources across various FIM services.

Methods

This QI project included surveys and focus groups conducted electronically and in person between January and May 2023. We analyzed the data using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis.

Results

The analysis of results revealed patient preferences and experiences regarding dietary patterns, food choices, and nutrition education. These findings enhanced existing handouts, websites, and group class curricula and forged new partnerships with local community-based organizations.

Conclusion

Our findings underpin the importance of co-designing interventions, dynamic and multimodal resources, and cultural humility in care to meet individual needs.

Implications

This initiative is a model for hospitals aiming to improve educational resources within FIM services and tailor content to the specific needs of diverse patient populations. This project is the first step in programmatic improvement, and continuous refinement is crucial for sustained improvements and advancing health equity at our institution.