Date of Award

Spring 5-16-2026

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Kristee Frisbee

Second Advisor

Amanda Alonzo

Third Advisor

Natalie Bird

Abstract

Food insecurity is a significant social determinant of health associated with obesity, chronic disease, increased healthcare utilization, and higher mortality, particularly in rural and underserved populations. Healthcare providers are uniquely positioned to identity and address food insecurity; however, gaps in provider knowledge and awareness of available community resources persist. This scholarly project evaluated whether an educational intervention could improve healthcare providers' knowledge and awareness of food insecurity and local treatment options. A mixed-methods approach of quantitative and qualitative measure was utilized for research. Pre- and post-test design was used with healthcare providers from a four-state rural region, including Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Participants completed an educational intervention followed by pre- and post-surveys assessing knowledge of food insecurity and available community resources. Thirty-one participants completed both surveys and met the inclusion criteria. Statistically significant improvements were observed in knowledge related to the consequences and definitions of food insecurity and available community resources. Participants identified a lack of time, limited resources, and uncertainty around referral processes as barriers to addressing food insecurity. Despite these barriers, most participants reported intent to incorporate food insecurity screening and interventions into clinical practice. The findings of this project demonstrated significant knowledge gains in key areas, strong intent to act, and identification of ongoing systemic barriers. The next step for future projects should be replicating this education with a larger, more diverse sample to increase statistical power. Finally, evaluating patient outcomes from these interventions would help determine if provider education directly impacts food insecurity.

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