(P02-095-25) Perceptions of Food Access, Grocery Shopping, As Well as Gardening and Farming Among Rural and Urban Iowans With Multiple Sclerosis

Objectives: This study aims to explore the perspectives of rural and urban Iowans with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) regarding grocery shopping, food security, food access, and quality of life (QoL).

Methods: The present study focuses on the qualitative analysis conducted as part of a mixed-methods pilot study. Food security, social support, and QoL were comparatively examined between rural and urban Iowa residents with MS using validated self-reported questionnaires and semi-structured one-on-one interviews. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed utilizing MAXQDA software. In addition to themes of food security, social support, and QoL that emerged, corresponding nutrition-related facilitators and barriers were also analyzed.

Results: Four major nutrition-related themes emerged from the interviews: access to preferred foods, grocery store characteristics, grocery shopping methods, and home cultivation (i.e., home gardening and farming). Nuanced differences emerged between rural or urban residents with MS, who reported experiencing slight differences in characteristics and methods of grocery shopping, the use of home cultivation, and access to preferred foods – all of which indirectly affect food security. Furthermore, barriers were identified to these themes, including geographic isolation, economic constraints, and limited online shopping options, alongside facilitators like gardening, agricultural connections, and agriculture-based community food systems/networks.

Conclusions: This study explored the complex relationship between grocery shopping, food access, and food security in individuals with MS, identifying facilitators and barriers to food access. Targeted interventions are then outlined that utilize the identified barriers and facilitators to potentially enhance food access and mitigate food insecurity for individuals with MS in Iowa, thereby improving QoL for this population.

Funding Sources: Dartmouth Health Primary Care Research Fellowship supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National MS Society
University of Iowa’s Public Policy Center Summer Fellowship for Qualitative Research Program
The Carter Chapman Shreve Family Foundation