Free groceries for a year: new study tests if food support keeps kids out of the hospital
NCT ID NCT06560229
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study is testing whether giving low-income families monthly $100 grocery gift cards for a year can reduce food insecurity and lower the chance that a child will need to return to the hospital after being discharged. About 400 families with a child admitted to Cincinnati Children's Hospital will take part. Families in the gift card group will receive the cards for 12 months and complete surveys over 18 months to track their food situation and healthcare use.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- grocery gift card
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could show that providing food support helps low-income families recover after a hospital stay and reduces the need for return visits.
- What could go wrong
- This is a relatively small, early-stage study focused on one hospital system, so results may not apply broadly. The intervention is only food support, so it may not address other factors affecting recovery.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 400 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2024
- Expected to finish
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Jul 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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Children (under 18), adults (18 to 64) and older adults (65 and over)
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Parent of a pediatric patient admitted to one of two units at our hospital with HealthVine insurance Exclusion Criteria: * Previous study participation
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Get notified about this study
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Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Cincinnati, Ohio, 45229, United States