# Improving Health Outcomes and Advancing Health Equity in Imperial County Rural Communities through Increasing Healthy Food Access

> **NIH MD R01** · SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY · 2026 · $899,820

## Abstract

Rural communities experience higher food insecurity prevalence and residents face
challenges in obtaining food due to a number of barriers, including economic and financial
instability, transportation limitations, and lack of or limited access to stores that offer varied,
healthy, and affordable food options. Supermarkets are not readily accessible and independently-
owned small markets, corner, liquor, and convenience stores are more prevalent. While these
small stores generally offer limited healthy food options, they are existing assets in the community
that are already serving community residents and can become an important source of healthy
food access that increases the visibility and variety of nutritious foods within rural communities.
 The long-term goal of this project is to test the effectiveness of the introduction of a
produce distribution service into small stores on increasing healthy food access, reducing health
disparities, and improving psychosocial health outcomes among low-income, primarily Hispanic
rural community residents in Imperial County, CA. This project will accomplish three specific aims:
 Specific Aim 1: Assess and characterize the food environment in Imperial County,
CA. The food environment will be evaluated by creating a Geographic Information System that
captures existing food retailers, conducting in-store observational audits of all food retailers to
assess current healthy food accessibility and availability, and analyzing the data to identify healthy
food access gaps and potential small store partners for produce distribution services.
 Specific Aim 2: Adapt and implement the produce distribution service. The produce
distribution service will be adapted based on input from a community advisory board and small
store owners. Quantitative and qualitative data will assess the feasibility and acceptability of the
service and indicate if its elements met the needs of small store owners and community residents,
and were acceptable, feas

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11205365
- **Project number:** 1R01MD020700-01
- **Recipient organization:** SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Iana  Castro
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** MD
- **Fiscal year:** 2026
- **Award amount:** $899,820
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2026-05-06T00:00:00 → 2030-11-30T00:00:00

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11205365

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11205365, Improving Health Outcomes and Advancing Health Equity in Imperial County Rural Communities through Increasing Healthy Food Access (1R01MD020700-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-07-14 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11205365. Licensed CC0.

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