This study is an evaluation of the Fresh Rx: Nourishing Healthy Starts program administered by Operation Food Search, a St. Louis-based nonprofit organization. The program provides food and nutrition supports to food insecure pregnant women in conjunction with integrative care services in order to improve health and birth outcomes for both the mother and the child. The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of this approach through a field experiment, and to assess the extent to which these services can provide cost savings to the healthcare system.
Female
Pregnant
Less than 24 weeks gestation
Screening positive to a USDA two-item food insecurity screener (described below)
Male
Non-pregnant
Pregnant, but more than 24 weeks gestation
Does not screen positive to a USDA two-item food insecurity screener (described below)
Washington University School of Medicine
Lead sponsor
Operation Food Search Inc.
Collaborator