Introduction
Federal food assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP) help address food insecurity, yet many participants still struggle to afford
nutritionally adequate foods. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has committed $100
million to the expansion and evaluation of SNAP healthy food incentives, which match
SNAP funds spent on produce. However, little is known about who uses SNAP incentives
or how often they are used. This study examines patterns and correlates of use of
the SNAP incentive Double Up Food Bucks at all eight participating Detroit farmers
markets during 2012–2013.
Methods
SNAP/Double Up Food Bucks transactions from handwritten farmers market logs (n=21,541) were linked with state administrative SNAP enrollment data. Frequency of
incentive use and characteristics of Double Up Food Bucks users relative to the overall
Detroit SNAP-enrolled population were examined, as were market-level characteristics
associated with program use. Negative binomial regression was used to estimate predictors
of repeat transactions (analyses conducted 2015–2017).
Results
Although demographic characteristics of Double Up Food Bucks users reflected those
of the overall Detroit SNAP-enrolled population, Double Up Food Bucks users were poorer
and disproportionately female. One third of Double Up Food Bucks users had more than
one transaction during the 2-year period. Repeat transactions were directly correlated
with identifying as white (incidence rate ratio=2.34, 95% CI=2.11, 2.59, p<0.001), and inversely correlated with driving distance from market of first transaction
(incidence rate ratio=0.98 per mile, 95% CI=0.98, 0.99, p<0.001). Rates of repeat transactions also varied significantly by market.
Conclusions
Addressing barriers to initial use and return visits can help maximize the impact
and reach of SNAP incentives among Americans at highest risk of diet-related disease.
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: December 12, 2017
Identification
Copyright
Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Journal of Preventive Medicine
