Rural Food Access Needs Assessment (RFANA)
Project Description
The Rural Food Access Needs Assessment was started in 2008 to better understand how living in rural Maine affects low-income families’ access to healthy foods. The objective of this project is to determine what barriers restrict access to healthy foods by Maine’s rural low-income families and thereby provide education that will aid in overcoming the identified barriers.
Methods:
To describe the rural food environment, MNN researchers surveyed all stores in Somerset County registered as vendors for the Food Supplement Program (formerly Food Stamp Program). MNN revised a store environment survey designed by Glanz et. al., at Emory University to capture the availability, price and quality of healthy foods at the stores in the sample. Field collectors gathered data at the different types of stores (e.g. convenience, independent/small grocery, and supermarkets), entered the data and analyzed it. Results of the analysis currently be completed. I
MNN staff:
Matt L’Italien, Teresa Hubley, Kevin Scribner
Staff contact:
Matt L’Italien
45 Commerce Drive, Suite 11, Augusta, ME 04330
P: 207/626-5219
F: 207/626-5210
mlitalien@usm.maine.edu
Program Resources:
Related Links:
