Team
Beverly Wilson, MPH
Foodshare: Executive Director
Wilson@uscmed.sc.edu
Michelle Troup
FoodShare: Director of Culinary Medicine
Michelle.troup@uscmed.sc.edu
Site Research Interests
Our research is primarily focused on the intersection of food insecurity, medical learner focused culinary medicine, and culinary based community education. With a specific interest on this low-income population, we have the following interests:
- Studying the impact of modules tailored specifically for patients with diabetes, as opposed to impact of generalized modules on a like patient population;
- Impact on medical claims filed by patients enrolled in the FoodShare program
- The impact the culinary medicine program is able to have on clinically obese patients in regards to self-perception of obesity as a social norm or disease.
Research Projects
FoodShare is currently conducting a multi-site pilot study within the Palmetto Health USC Medical Group investigating health outcomes of food insecure patients with chronic disease. More specifically, we are recruiting patients from 5 clinics across our system that identify as food insecure using the USDA Hunger Vital Signs 2 question screener and also have a disease code of Diabetes (type 2), Obesity, or Hypertension. Enrolled patients commit to 6 months in our existing Fresh FoodBox program and are also enrolled in 8 weeks of Culinary Medicine Curriculum. For two years, we will be monitoring biomarkers through the EMR to evaluate the impact this programming has had on overall health, as well psychosocial markers captured through a questionnaire.
Funding Mechanisms
FoodShare is a Duke Endowment recipient and much of our research and culinary medicine initiative is funded from this source. Our funding is 75% grant-based. The 4,000 square foot building that we utilize is donated.
Publications
No publications to date
IAA and IRB status
IRB: Pro00055811
Approval Date: 6/6/2016 Expiration Date: 6/5/2021
Completed IAA IRB status with Tulane University
Program adoption and implementation
We are currently in the process of CHOP survey implementation, with our first medical student elective starting in the Spring. Additionally, we are using modules for community cooking classes open to patients referred from within the hospital system.
