Low-Income Individuals' Perceptions About Fruit and Vegetable Access Programs: A Qualitative Study.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Nutrition Science
• Socioeconomic Determinants of Health

Background:

• Low-income populations face significant barriers to accessing and consuming fruits and vegetables (FV).
• Understanding these barriers is crucial for designing effective FV interventions.
• Existing FV programs may not adequately address the multifaceted challenges faced by low-income individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how fruit and vegetable (FV) programs can overcome barriers to FV access and consumption.
• To understand the perceptions of low-income individuals regarding FV programs and their effectiveness.
• To identify key factors for successful FV interventions in underserved communities.

Main Methods:

• 13 focus groups were conducted with 105 low-income participants in North Carolina.
• Participants were adults (≥18 years), with a majority being African American women with limited formal education and government assistance.
• A socio-ecological framework guided the qualitative data analysis, involving transcript coding and theme identification.

Main Results:

• Mobile markets were perceived as a way to overcome barriers related to availability, convenience, transportation, and quality.
• Concerns about safety in certain communities were raised regarding mobile markets.
• Opinions on the effectiveness of food assistance programs in addressing cost barriers were mixed.
• Community gardens were seen as a way to increase access to affordable, local produce, but feasibility concerns were noted.

Conclusions:

• Addressing multiple access barriers is essential for improving FV consumption among low-income populations.
• FV programs can be successful if they are designed to overcome diverse challenges such as cost, availability, and transportation.
• Interventions should consider community-specific factors and implementation feasibility.