Community Member Identified Barriers and Proposed Solutions to Improve Healthy Food Access

Low income, urban community residents may not be consulted to generate potential solutions to healthy food access problems, but are often quite accurate in identifying barriers and solutions. As part of a larger study of Chicago healthy food access, qualitative group interviews were conducted with community members residing in six Chicago Community Areas to ascertain their views of food access but also as a first step towards building community interest and capacity in improving healthy food access. Using a standardized qualitative interview guide, trained staff facilitated audio-taped group discussions with community residents. After professional transcription, interviews were coded and analyzed using Atlas-ti software, and findings aggregated across all six interviews. Key barriers to healthy food access were inability to plan and budget, and shop for healthy, economical food or money mismanagement; inadequate transportation within and between communities; poor quality, availability and price of healthy foods; and problems within families such as one family member controlling the money, or addiction problems leading to less money for food. Solution ideas generated included increasing the number of stores and variety within stores to increase price competition; improving public transportation and organizing local groups to provide car pooling; increasing family incomes through job training programs and opportunities; and helping small store owners to form cooperatives to foster greater buying power. Community members were also willing to work with others to improve community food access.