(1) A quantitative, observational study with 859 CHA patients was conducted to determine the effect of monthly mobile produce market attendance and nutrition coaching on:

• Fruit and vegetable intake
• Intermediate health outcomes
• Health care utilization

CHA patients completed baseline and 12-month follow-up surveys (conducted in either English, Portuguese, or Spanish) and we obtained data from their electronic medical records, Good Measures nutrition coaching records, and mobile market attendance.

Funding: Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Social Determinants Partnership Grant
Participating Partners: The Greater Boston Food Bank, Cambridge Health Alliance, Tufts Health Plan, Good Measures

Acknowledgement: Thank you to Selma DeCastro, research associate, for her instrumental work in recruiting and connecting CHA patients to the market and research study.

(2) Focus groups were conducted with 49 market participants (in English, Spanish, and Arabic) to gain an in-depth understanding of patients’ perceptions of the market around:

• Accessibility
• Availability
• Acceptability
• Food use
• Market use
• Client perceptions of health

Funding: Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health Rose Fellowship

Participating Partners: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, The Greater Boston Food Bank, Cambridge Health Alliance

Summary of Findings: CHA Produce Market Focus Group Report

(3) In-depth interviews were conducted with 45 CHA patients (in English, Spanish, and Portuguese) to examine barriers and facilitators to use of the market and Good Measures coaching. These interviews covered the following topics:

• Overall experience of learning about and using the programs
• Reasons for using or not using the programs
• Suggestions for reducing barriers to program participation
• The COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on financial and food security, and food assistance use

Funding: Social Interventions Research and Evaluation Network (SIREN)’s Grant for Improving Patient Interest in Social Risks Screening and Assistance Interventions

Participating Partners: Health Equity Research Lab at Cambridge Health Alliance, The Greater Boston Food Bank, Cambridge Health Alliance

Research Activities Timeline: March 2019 - July 2021

Our study showed the CHA Revere Mobile Market positively impacted diet, hunger, and acceptability of food assistance among CHA patients. Additionally, we learned about patients' circumstances and the barriers that still remain for many patients to attend the market.

Learn more about our key study findings with this infographic, and preview our academic publications with these summaries.

HC PRODUCE Study Academic Posters

• Preventive Medicine Conference, Chicago - 2018 - (GBFB)
• HMS Primary Care Conference, Boston - October 2019 - (CHA, GBFB, GM)
• CHA Academic Poster Session - Spring 2020 (not held due to COVID) - (CHA, GBFB, GM)
• ASN 2020 Virtual Conference - Spring 2020 - (GBFB)
• Regional Society for General Internal Medicine (SGIM) Conference - November 7, 2020 - (CHA)
• National Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) Conference - April 2021 - (CHA)

HC PRODUCE Study Presentations

• GBFB Operations Team Meeting - November 19, 2019 (GBFB)
• AGO Grantee Conference - February 2020 - (CHA, GBFB, GM, Tufts)
• CHA Revere Care Center Staff Meeting - February 2020 - (CHA, GBFB, GM)
• SIREN Grantee Conference, San Francisco - February 2020 - (GBFB)
• Ounce of Prevention Virtual Presentation - September 2020 - (CHA, GBFB, GM, HSPH)
• Population Health Alliance Conference, Virtual - October 8, 2020 - (GM, THP)

HC PRODUCE Study Publications

• Babbin, M., Zack, R. M., Granick, J., Betts, K. (2021). Food access initiatives: An integral piece of the Revere, Massachusetts, COVID-19 response. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2021.102.017
• Dunn C, Vercammen KA, Bleich S, Mulugeta W, Granick J, Carney C, Zack R. (2021). Participant perceptions of a free fresh produce market at a health center. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1dN8j5KxDNpp48
• Adams E, Babbin M, Bronico J, Granick J, Weil R, Mitchell E, Carney C, Fiechtner L, Mulugeta W, Zack R. (2021). Providing Food Assistance During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study from a Produce Market at a Low-Income Serving Health Center, Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/837352/pdf
• Accepted for publication in Fall 2022 - Zack RM, Bronico JVR, Babbin M, Nguyen T, Weil R, Granick J, Fiechtner L, Mulugeta W, Odayar V, Cortés DE. (2022). Facilitators and Barriers to Patient Attendance at a Free Health Center-Based Produce Market. The American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

A special THANK YOU to our funders:
Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, Harvard School of Public Health Rose Fellowship, Greater Boston Food Bank, and the Social Interventions Research and Evaluation Network (SIREN).

• Research Team
  • Wudeneh Mulugeta, MD, MPH, FACP - Principal Investigator (CHA)
  • Jean Granick, MS - Program Manager (CHA)
  • Jackie Rodríguez Bronico, MD, MSc - Research Coordinator (CHA)
  • Rachel Zack, ScD, ScM - Collaborating Epidemiologist (GBFB)

And thank you to our volunteers and interns who over the years have helped expand our work and moved it along at key moments.

To reach the market manager or a research study member, please contact PRODUCE@CHAlliance.org.

Stay tuned to CHA social media to follow the market activities: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

Interested in collaborating on research or forming a partnership?

Please contact us at PRODUCE@CHAlliance.org.