Medically tailored meals provided for 4 weeks versus 2 weeks posthospitalization did not significantly improve Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale scores at 60 days (difference 0.4; p=0.18).
RCT (n=650)
Unblinded
Does 4 weeks of medically tailored meals compared to 2 weeks improve Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale scores in patients pending hospital discharge with at least one chronic condition?
Different durations (2 vs 4 weeks) of short-term medically tailored meals posthospitalization did not significantly affect patient-centered or utilization outcomes.
Effect estimate: Difference in change 0.4
p-value: p=0.18
BACKGROUND: Medically tailored meals (MTM) may be beneficial to patients after hospital discharge. OBJECTIVE: To determine if 2 versus 4 weeks of MTM posthospitalization will improve patient outcomes. DESIGN: Randomized unblinded trial. SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred and fifty patients pending hospital discharge with at least one chronic condition. INTERVENTION: One MTM a day for 2 versus 4 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was a change from baseline to 60 days in the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS). Secondary outcomes measured change in the Katz activities of daily living (ADLs), DETERMINE nutritional risk, and all-cause emergency department (ED) visits and rehospitalizations. RESULTS: From baseline to 60 days the HADS anxiety subscale changed 5.4-4.9 in the 2-week group (p = .03) and 5.4-5.3 in the 4-week group (p = .49); the difference in change between groups 0.4 (p = .25). HADS changed 5.4-4.8 in the 2-week group (p = .005) and 5.3-5.1 in the 4-week group (p = .34); the difference in change between groups 0.4 (p = .18). ADL score changed from 5.3 to 5.6 in the 2-week group (p ≤ .0001) and 5.2-5.5 in the 4-week group (p ≤ .0001); the difference in change between groups -0.01 (p = .90). The DETERMINE changed in the 2-week group from 7.2 to 6.4 (p = .0006) and from 7 to 6.7 in the 4-week group (p = .19); the difference in change between groups 0.5 (p = .13). There was no difference in ED visits and rehospitalizations between groups or time to rehospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Different durations of short-term MTM did not affect patient-centered or utilization outcomes.
Boxer et al. (Tue,) conducted a rct in Patients pending hospital discharge with at least one chronic condition (n=650). Medically tailored meals vs. 2 weeks versus 4 weeks duration was evaluated on Change from baseline to 60 days in the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) (Difference in change 0.4, p=0.18). Medically tailored meals provided for 4 weeks versus 2 weeks posthospitalization did not significantly improve Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale scores at 60 days (difference 0.4; p=0.18).
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