637 - Assessment of Food Insecurity Screening Practices in Pediatric Kidney Transplant Care: An Inventory Across IROC Centers
Sunday, April 27, 2025
8:30am – 10:45am HST
Publication Number: 637.3798
Eva M. Glenn Lecea, Eva M Glenn Lecea, SAN FRANCISCO, CA, United States; Paul Brakeman, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States; Aris Oates, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, United States; Erica Winnicki, UCSF, Orinda, CA, United States
Pediatric Nephrology Fellow University of California San Francisco SAN FRANCISCO, California, United States
Background: Food insecurity (FI) is linked to adverse outcomes in chronic conditions, affecting treatment adherence and overall health. In pediatric kidney transplant (KT) patients, FI may similarly impact health outcomes. A single-center study found FI correlated with higher hospitalization risk in pediatric KT patients and a trend toward increased rejection episodes, though statistical significance was not achieved. This study suggests the importance of FI screening for the pediatric KT population and highlights the need for multicenter evaluation of FI screening and interventions. Objective: Evaluate the FI screening practices of pediatric KT centers in the Improving Renal Outcomes Collaborative (IROC). Additionally, by assessing the prevalence and characteristics of FI screening, we aim to determine the feasibility of future multicenter studies examining the association of FI with allograft outcomes Design/Methods: An electronic REDCap survey was distributed via email to 43 IROC centers to collect data on FI screening practices among pediatric KT patients. Results: Of the 20 centers that responded, 13 reported screening for FI, with coverage levels as follows: 5 centers screened 76-100% of their KT population, 2 screened 50-75%, 1 screened 25-50%, and 3 screened 0-25%. Screening was mainly conducted by nurses, medical assistants, social workers, and dietitians. Interventions included social work consultations (all 13 centers), dietitian referrals (8 centers), food pantries or pharmacies (7 centers), patient-specific resources (9 centers), general resources (5 centers), food bags (1 center), and gift cards when available (1 center). Non-screening centers cited barriers such as challenges in managing positive screens and limited workforce capacity. Three centers planned to implement screening soon.
Conclusion(s): This survey highlights variability in FI screening and intervention practices across pediatric KT centers, underscoring the need for standardized approaches in pediatric KT care. By mapping current practices, this study supports the feasibility of multicenter research to examine FI’s impact on graft outcomes and develop evidence-based strategies to address FI in this population.
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