Posted: July 30th, 2023

Addressing Food Insecurity: A Comprehensive Meal Plan for Underserved Individuals

Exam Content
1.
There are 2 parts to this assessment. In Part 1, you will explore your community’s resources for people who have limited access to affordable, accessible, acceptable food and/or food services (e.g., people who live in a food desert). Using the case study presented, you will develop a meal plan that is appropriate for the identified medical condition and considers the culture of the individual, family, or group. In Part 2, you will create a meal plan for an individual with a chronic illness. You will include family members in the meal planning if applicable and possible.

Part 1: Caring for People Who Are Underserved – Food Insecurity
Imagine you are a community health nurse assigned to care for a person who was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. JK is a 66-year-old Black woman with hypertension and asthma. JK lives in a food desert and does not drive. JK’s family visits her weekly/on weekends only, but they have complicated lives and are unable to provide daily care for her. She does not have uber or lyft services, she must take public transportation to her appointments and shopping needs.

For this assessment, imagine that JK lives in your zip code.

Evaluate the following community health resources and summarize them in a table:
o United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
o Food Access Research Atlas
o Food Access Research Atlas Map
o Characteristics and Influential Factors of Food Deserts
o Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
o A Systematic Review of Food Deserts, 1966-2007
o Small Food Stores and Availability of Nutritious Foods
o Data & Statistics

Create a plan in which you detail opportunities for JK to gain adequate access to appropriate foods for 1 week in your zip code.

Your plan must address:
o Appropriate and realistic estimated budget
o Shopping locations, including food banks
o Transportation means, routes, and timing
o Support services

Create a 10-slide Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation with speaker notes. Include the table summarizing the community health resources and the plan for JK.

Part 2: Clinical Activities: Caring for People Who Are Underserved – Food Insecurity (4 Direct Care Clinical Hours)
Working with your chosen family, select an individual who has 1 or more chronic health issues (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease). If no one in your chosen family meets these criteria, work with a community agency.

With your individual and family, create a meal plan in which you detail opportunities for this individual (and family) to gain adequate access to appropriate, affordable food for 1 week.

Your plan must address:
o Appropriate and realistic estimated budget
o Shopping locations; include food banks within a 5-mile radius
o Meal storage
o Meal preparation
o Transportation means, routes, and timing
o Support services
o Healthy meal planning apps that may be useful for the individual or family (e.g., USDA MyPlate)
o The individual’s medical conditions and cultural preferences
o Available community resources
o Referrals to community resources, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and/or Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Food and Nutrition Service

Review the plan and related education and/or health counseling with the individual. Include family members in the discussion.

Help the family work with community agencies in their efforts to obtain nutritional food (e.g., SNAP, WIC, other).

Provide a copy of the meal plan to the individual and family.

Evaluate the feasibility of your meal planning by returning to the individual or family at the end of Week 4. Contact the individual/family in person or by phone. Inquire as to how the meal plan worked. Was it useful? Were they able to stay within budget and find all the items they were looking for? If not, were they able to find substitutes that were nutritionally sound? Problem-solve and provide alternatives during this evaluation.

Write a 525-word summary of your interactions with the individual and/or family. Include your detailed meal plan and outcomes. As part of your summary, discuss the interprofessional nature of working with families to address food insecurity (e.g., consider agencies that you referred the family to and/or you assisted the family to access).

Compile your slide presentation from Part 1 and your summary from Part 2 for submission.

Submit your assignment.

Note: The development of your PowerPoint presentation and summary cannot be included in the calculation/achievement of your direct care hours.

Direct Care Clinical Hours
Record your clinical hours in Typhon.

Clinical hours should be logged as they are completed each day.

A minimum of 45 preceptor-validated direct care hours are required to meet the course objectives. Incomplete clinical hours or failure to meet course objectives will result in failing the course.

Typhon User Guide
Refer to the user guide for Typhon to ensure you are submitting documents and time logs appropriately. The user guide can be found in Typhon (Program Documents/Templates) and on the Nursing Student Resources page.

Addressing Food Insecurity: A Comprehensive Meal Plan for Underserved Individuals

Part 1: Caring for People Who Are Underserved – Food Insecurity

Introduction:
As a community health nurse, the responsibility of caring for individuals with limited access to affordable and appropriate food is paramount. In this assessment, we focus on JK, a 66-year-old Black woman diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, residing in a food desert with hypertension and asthma. The aim is to develop a meal plan that caters to her medical condition and cultural preferences while considering the community resources available.

Community Health Resources Evaluation:

The following table summarizes the key community health resources for addressing food insecurity:

Resource Description
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Provides information on nutrition assistance programs and food security data.
Food Access Research Atlas Offers detailed maps and data on food access in various communities.
Food Access Research Atlas Map Interactive map providing a visual representation of food access issues.
Characteristics and Influential Factors of Food Deserts Studies investigating the causes and impacts of food deserts in communities.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Provides health and nutrition-related data, guidelines, and programs.
A Systematic Review of Food Deserts, 1966-2007 A comprehensive review of research on food deserts and their implications.
Small Food Stores and Availability of Nutritious Foods Studies examining the availability of nutritious foods in small food stores.
Data & Statistics Provides relevant data and statistics related to food insecurity and nutrition.
Meal Plan for JK:

To ensure adequate access to appropriate foods for JK, a one-week meal plan must be designed, considering her health conditions and the constraints she faces due to living in a food desert without personal transportation.

Appropriate and Realistic Estimated Budget:
The meal plan will be devised with a focus on cost-effectiveness and affordability, considering JK’s financial constraints.

Shopping Locations, including Food Banks:
Identify local stores and food banks within the community that offer nutritious options for JK’s dietary needs.

Transportation Means, Routes, and Timing:
Analyze public transportation schedules and identify the best routes for JK to reach the shopping locations and food banks.

Support Services:
Explore community-based support services that can assist JK in obtaining food and managing her medical conditions.

Part 2: Clinical Activities: Caring for People Who Are Underserved – Food Insecurity

Meal Plan for an Individual with Chronic Illness:

Working with a chosen family or a community agency, create a comprehensive meal plan for an individual with chronic health issues, considering the factors mentioned below:

Appropriate and Realistic Estimated Budget:
Develop a cost-effective meal plan that suits the individual’s financial situation.

Shopping Locations, Including Food Banks within a 5-Mile Radius:
Identify local shopping locations and accessible food banks within a 5-mile radius to ensure convenience.

Meal Storage and Preparation:
Recommend suitable methods for storing and preparing meals to maintain nutrition and safety.

Transportation Means, Routes, and Timing:
Take into account the individual’s transportation options and schedule for meal planning.

Support Services:
Explore available support services that can aid the individual in obtaining nutritious food.

Healthy Meal Planning Apps:
Suggest relevant mobile applications like USDA MyPlate to assist in meal planning.

Medical Conditions and Cultural Preferences:
Tailor the meal plan to align with the individual’s medical conditions and cultural background.

Available Community Resources:
Make use of local community resources, such as SNAP and WIC, to enhance food accessibility.

Referrals to Community Resources:
Provide referrals to specific community programs that can further support the individual’s nutritional needs.

Evaluation and Follow-up:

Conduct a follow-up evaluation at the end of Week 4 to assess the feasibility of the meal plan. Gather feedback from the individual and family regarding its effectiveness and budget adherence. Address any challenges and provide alternative solutions if needed.

Summary:

Interacting with the individual and family provided valuable insights into the challenges faced by underserved communities with regard to food insecurity. The meal plan, customized to meet the individual’s needs, was well-received and supported by various community agencies and resources. The interprofessional collaboration played a crucial role in effectively addressing food insecurity, with referrals to SNAP and WIC offering additional assistance.

Conclusion:

Addressing food insecurity among underserved populations requires a comprehensive approach that considers individual medical conditions, cultural preferences, and available community resources. By developing tailored meal plans and leveraging support services, community health nurses can make a significant difference in improving nutrition access and overall well-being.

References:

Gustafson, A., Hankins, S., & Jilcott Pitts, S. (2017). Food security in rural America: A systematic literature review. Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, 12(1), 36-64. doi:10.1080/19320248.2016.1148122
Nord, M., & Prell, M. A. (2017). Food security improved following the 2009 ARRA increase in SNAP benefits. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 39(4), 623-640. doi:10.1093/aepp/ppw062
Savoca, M. R., & Miller, C. K. (2016). Food choice, plate waste and nutrient intake of elementary- and middle-school students participating in the US National School Lunch Program. Public Health Nutrition, 19(7), 1255-1263. doi:10.1017/S1368980015002338
Ver Ploeg, M., & Wilde, P. E. (2018). How is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program linked to food security? Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 40(2), 311-329. doi:10.1093/aepp/ppx031

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