Addressing Nutritional Deficiencies at the South Main Clinic through collaboration with Better Being Co.

Title: Addressing Nutritional Deficiencies at the South Main Clinic through collaboration with Better Being Co.
Author: Joselyn Slobodow
Date: 1/27/2025
Abstract: The South Main Clinic provides healthcare services to the local community, with the majority of its patients identifying as Hispanic. These patients demonstrate an increased prevalence of food insecurity and chronic disease. To address such food insecurities, the clinic has worked with local food banks to provide donations directly to patients during their clinical visits when requested. However, these donations primarily consist of dried grains and canned foods, lacking fresh produce and the vital nutrition associated with it. This project aims to understand and address nutritional deficiencies among the Hispanic population. A comprehensive literature review evaluated the prevalence of nutritional deficiencies among underserved Hispanic populations. To address identified nutritional deficiency gaps, a partnership was established with Better Being, a company specializing in nutritional supplements. The collaboration entailed explaining the needs of the South Main Clinic community and providing a tailored supplement list to address those needs effectively. Literature demonstrates that food insecurity is associated with higher rates of anemia and micronutrient deficiencies, including vitamin A and iron. Additionally, Hispanic populations exhibit increased rates of vitamin D deficiency, with toddlers being particularly affected by iron deficiency. Further, Hispanic pregnant women have demonstrated lower rates of prenatal supplementation and knowledge of the importance of prenatal vitamins for fetal development. Using this knowledge, the South Main Clinic community health worker and medical student communicated the community’s needs directly with the Better Being outreach team to ensure donations would be tailored to these specific needs. By request, the company donated 100 units each of vitamin D, iron, calcium, prenatal vitamins, and children’s multivitamins. The literature review conducted prior to the donation request allowed for an informed decision to best serve the community’s needs. Future efforts should focus on expanding such partnerships and increasing patients’ education to improve their overall health outcomes.

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Addressing Nutritional Deficiencies at the South Main Clinic through collaboration with Better Being Co. by Joselyn Slobodow