title: Low-Income Individuals' Perceptions About Fruit and Vegetable Access Programs: A Qualitative Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine how fruit and vegetable (FV) programs address barriers to FV access and consumption as perceived by low-income individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 2011 to 2012, the researchers used 13 focus groups to better understand low-income individuals' perceptions about FV programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five North Carolina counties at community-serving organizations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Low-income participants aged ≥ 18 years were included in the study. A majority were African American women with a high school education or less, and received government assistance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Low-income individuals' perceptions about how FV access programs can reduce barriers and increase consumption.
  
  
  METHODS
  A socio-ecological framework guided data analysis, and 2 trained researchers coded transcripts, identified major themes, and summarized findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 105 participants discussed how mobile markets could overcome barriers such as availability, convenience, transportation, and quality/variety. Some were worried about safety in higher-crime communities. Participants' opinions about how successful food assistance programs were at overcoming cost barriers were mixed. Participants agreed that community gardens could increase access to affordable, conveniently located produce but worried about feasibility and implementation issues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Addressing access barriers through FV programs could improve consumption. Programs have the potential to be successful if they address multiple access barriers.
authors.affiliation: Food and Environment Program, Union of Concerned Scientists, Washington, DC. Electronic address: lhaynes-maslow@ucsusa.org.
authors.forename: Lindsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Haynes-Maslow
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI.
authors.forename: Lauriane
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Auvergne
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mark
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ammerman
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Bryan J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Weiner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005523:Food Supply / Q000191:economics*; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D011203:Poverty / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology; D014675:Vegetables; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: focus group; food access; fruit; low-income; socio-ecological; vegetable