Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

This fall, as part of my honors project, I developed a presentation entitled, “The role of pharmacists at the intersection of healthcare and hunger issues.” My advisor for the project was Dr. Kathleen Gorman, Director of the Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America located on-campus.
As health professionals, pharmacists know that proper nutrition is vital to health. Yet, many senior citizens and low-income families cannot afford quality nutrition. There are socioeconomic factors that contribute to the health of the patient and the effectiveness of prescribed health care. Low-income senior citizens are especially affected by food insecurity and the high costs of prescription drugs. The Rhode Island food bank reports that 32% of its patrons choose between paying for food and paying for medicine or medical care. Outreach programs sponsored by the state address these issues, but community pharmacists have a unique opportunity to step into a role at the crossroads.
Pharmacists are a touch-point between the community and the healthcare system. Community pharmacists are often the most accessible health professionals to the public (across all socioeconomic fields), and they hold a position of trust in the community.

The role of pharmacists is to serve patients and the community by providing information and advice on health, providing medications and associated services, and by referring patients to other sources of help and care. In addition, the pharmacy is a convenient venue to distribute information on Federal, State and locally available assistance programs.
The purpose of this project was to draw the attention of pharmacy students to the problem of food insecurity, to instill a sense of awareness and an attitude of sensitivity, and to educate future pharmacists on the resources available to help their low income patients gain access to adequate nutrition.
The objectives for the presentation included (1) defining and discussing the problems of food insecurity and hunger, (2) explaining how SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as food stamps), addresses these problems, and (3) equipping future pharmacists with knowledge of resources to help low income patients overcome the financial barrier preventing their access to quality nutrition.
This presentation was directed towards the faculty, staff, and students at the College of Pharmacy. I believe it is important for staff and faculty to also be part of my target audience so that they can incorporate these principles into their teaching.
I worked closely with the staff of the Hunger Center and consulted with Nancy Tortolani from the Pharmacy Outreach Program. Members of the faculty and staff in the College of Pharmacy were very supportive.
Andrea Russell, Class of 2013
From New Hampshire