Novel Intervention to Improve Food Insecurity Among Individuals With Opioid Use Disorder

NCT ID: NCT06374303

Last Updated: 2025-11-24

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 50 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2022-04-19
• Study Completion Date: 2023-11-20

Brief Summary

The adverse consequences of illicit opioid use (e.g., overdose, premature death) are the focus of intensive research efforts. However, other serious health problems among individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) have received far less attention. Food insecurity (FI) is 4-7 times greater among individuals with OUD than the general population. In addition to the increased healthcare utilization and costs, poor health outcomes, and adverse social consequences associated with FI in the general population, patients with co-occurring FI and OUD are at increased risk for licit and illicit drug use, sexual and drug risk behaviors, infectious disease, and a two-fold greater odds of premature death.

In this randomized pilot study, we evaluated a novel, mail-based meal delivery intervention for improving household FI and other outcomes among individuals receiving methadone or buprenorphine maintenance for OUD.

Fifty adults with FI and OUD were randomized to one of two 12-week experimental conditions: Nutritional Education (NE) participants received brief education, a list of FI-related resources in their community, and assistance with contacting those resources. NE + Meal Delivery (NE+MD) participants received the same educational platform plus weekly meal deliveries using a commercial service that delivers premade, refrigerated meals directly to the participant's home.

The primary outcome of household FI was measured at monthly assessments using the USDA Household Food Security Survey. Secondary measures included depression symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory), quality of life (RAND-36 Quality of Life Survey), and drug use as measured by biochemical urinalysis.

The NE+MD intervention was associated with significant improvements in household FI, with fewer NE+MD participants meeting criteria for FI vs. NE participants at all three assessment timepoints (p's<.05). Retention rates were similar between the two groups (88% and 84% for NE+MD and NE conditions, respectively; p=.68). Intervention acceptability was also high, with NE+MD participants rating the enjoyment and convenience of the meals at 81 and 93, respectively (range: 0-100).

Changes in FI status were also associated with improvements in other areas of functioning. NE+MD participants experienced reductions in depression symptomatology, with Beck Depression Inventory scores lower than intake at Weeks 4 and 8 (p's<.05) and no changes among NE participants. NE+MD participants also experienced improvements on four of the eight subscales of the RAND-36 Quality of Life Health Survey (i.e., General Health, Bodily Pain, Mental Health, Role Emotional; p's<.05), with no changes among NE participants.

This study represents the first effort to develop and evaluate a novel intervention to reduce FI and related problems among individuals with OUD. These pilot data support the feasibility, acceptability and initial efficacy of the NE+MD intervention for improving household FI, as well as provide exciting new preliminary evidence suggesting that FI may be linked to participants' mental and physical health.

Conditions

Food Security

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Nutritional Education (NE) control condition

Nutritional Education (NE) participants received brief education, a list of FI-related resources in their community, and assistance with contacting those resources.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Nutritional Eduction + Meal Delivery (NE+MD) experimental condition

NE + Meal Delivery (NE+MD) participants received the same educational platform plus weekly meal deliveries using a commercial service that delivers premade, refrigerated meals directly to the participant's home.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

NE + Meal Delivery (NE+MD) intervention

Intervention Type: OTHER

NE + Meal Delivery (NE+MD) participants received the same educational platform plus weekly meal deliveries using a commercial service that delivers premade, refrigerated meals directly to the participant's home.

Interventions

NE + Meal Delivery (NE+MD) intervention

NE + Meal Delivery (NE+MD) participants received the same educational platform plus weekly meal deliveries using a commercial service that delivers premade, refrigerated meals directly to the participant's home.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• >18 years old
• receiving methadone or buprenorphine treatment for OUD
• meet criteria for current FI as measured by the 18-item US Household Food Security Survey (FSS; Economic Research Service, USDA, 2012)

Exclusion Criteria

• Significant psychiatric or medical illness
• Pregnant or nursing

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

University of Vermont

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Stacey C. Sigmon

Professor, PI

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Stacey Sigmon, Ph.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Vermont

Locations

University of Vermont

Burlington, Vermont, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

CHRBSS 00001940

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id