Partnerships to Improve Community Health Produce Prescription: Survey and Interview Tools

The Produce Prescription’s commencement and evaluation tools include four different tools: an intake questionnaire, a follow-up guide to interviewing, a Market Manager Interview Guide, and a Nutrition Provider Interview Guide. The tools explain the program and intent, and relevant context necessary to be able to utilize the tools. 1. The Intake Questionnaire is a survey tool created for Eastern Carolina University’s study on purchasing habits, farmers’ market use, and fruit and vegetable consumption. The survey utilizes best practice research to be accessible to individuals who are pregnant, low income, or have limited resources, specifically utilizing images and visual markers, and accessible language. Following the initial survey, there are follow up surveys surrounding utilization of the farmers’ market, that accompany food vouchers to be spent at the farmers’ market. Included is the informed consent paperwork, participation incentive food vouchers, and other necessary documents to complete the evaluation. 2. The Follow-Up Interview Guide details specific questions to lead a conversation surrounding how individuals hear about the produce prescription program, their voucher use following the intake survey, barriers to using vouchers, how fruits and vegetables were used, changes in habits and health following participation, and program improvement ideas. The follow up similarly includes an Informed Consent waiver for the individual to review and complete if interested. 3. The Market Manager Interview Guide includes questions of challenges in implementation, customer reactions, participant purchasing habits, and general perspectives on program outcomes. The interview guide has an accompanying Informed Consent Form for market managers to complete. 4. Nutrition Provider Interview Guide includes questions of COVID’s impact, participants’ perceived reactions, participants’ responses to the vouchers, diet changes, and farmers’ market utilization. The interview guide also gathers general feelings on the outcomes of the program and areas for growth.

The Produce Prescription survey and interview tools can be used in several ways, including identifying barriers to healthy eating, assessing the specific needs and challenges of individuals or communities when it comes to accessing healthy foods, and raising awareness about the importance of healthy eating and the need for policies and programs that support access to healthy foods.

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