Annals of Family Medicine: Studies Evaluate Food-Based and Medication Affordability Interventions for Diabetes Management

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Feb. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Financial barriers related to access to nutritious food and medication can make long-term blood sugar control more difficult for people with diabetes. Two studies published in the January/February 2026 issue of Annals of Family Medicine examine interventions designed to address these barriers. In Los Angeles County, researchers evaluated a produce prescription program to improve nutrition security, while a study in Israel examined pharmacy-redeemable vouchers to reduce out-of-pocket medication costs.

Nutrition Security Among Medicaid Patients With Diabetes or Prediabetes After Completing a Produce Prescription Program

In this study, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health partnered with three Federally Qualified Health Centers to implement a produce prescription program in Los Angeles County for Medicaid patients with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. Participants received $40 per month on a debit card that could only be used to buy eligible fresh fruits and vegetables at participating grocery stores. Researchers compared participants' food access and nutrition-related challenges before and after the program through a survey. Over the six-month program, the share of participants classified as nutrition secure—meaning they reported it was not difficult to regularly eat healthy food—increased by 15.5 percentage points, from 23.2% at baseline to 38.7% at follow-up. During the same period, the share of participants classified as food secure increased by 17.7 percentage points, from 25.2% to 42.9%.

Incentives and Equity: A Randomized Controlled Trial to Improve Glycemic Control in Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Patients With Diabetes

In a randomized controlled trial conducted in Israel, researchers followed 186 adults with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes from neighborhoods with low socioeconomic status for six months. Participants in the intervention group were offered vouchers redeemable at pharmacies to reduce out-of-pocket medication costs. Intervention participants received larger vouchers when certain blood sugar levels (HbA_1c) were met. Participants in the control group paid for their medications as usual. After six months, participants eligible for medication vouchers experienced greater improvements in long-term blood sugar control than those receiving usual care. On average, blood sugar levels (HbA_1c) fell by about 1.4 percentage points in the intervention group, compared with about 0.7 percentage points in the usual-care control group.

The findings from these studies highlight how interventions that address nutrition security and medication affordability may complement diabetes care, particularly in populations facing socioeconomic challenges.

Articles Cited:

Nutrition Security Among Medicaid Patients With Diabetes or Prediabetes After Completing a Produce Prescription Program
Julia I. Caldwell, PhD, MPH; Victoria Ayala, MPH, RDN; Fatinah Darwish-Elsherbiny, MPH, RDN; Dipa Shah, MPH, RDN; and Tony Kuo, MD, MSHS.

Incentives and Equity: A Randomized Controlled Trial to Improve Glycemic Control in Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Patients With Diabetes
Ayelet Prigozin, PhD; Matan J. Cohen, MD, PhD; Ofri Mosenzon, MD; Hila Mendelovich, RN; Ahlam Natsheh, RN; Amir Shmueli, PhD; Anat Tsur, MD; and Amnon Lahad, MD.

Annals of Family Medicine is an open access, peer-reviewed, indexed research journal that provides a cross-disciplinary forum for new, evidence-based information affecting the primary care disciplines. Launched in May 2003, Annals of Family Medicine is sponsored by six family medical organizations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Board of Family Medicine, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, the Association of Departments of Family Medicine, the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors, and the North American Primary Care Research Group. Annals of Family Medicine is published online six times each year, charges no fee for publication, and contains original research from the clinical, biomedical, social, and health services areas, as well as contributions on methodology and theory, selected reviews, essays, and editorials. Complete editorial content and interactive discussion groups for each published article can be accessed for free on the journal's website, www.AnnFamMed.org.

SOURCE Annals of Family Medicine