Date of Conferral

10-30-2026

Date of Award

October 2026

Degree

Doctor of Social Work (DSW)

School

Social Work

Advisor

Yvonne Chase

Abstract

Low-income or impoverished neighborhoods, such as the Frayser community, often have an abundance of unhealthy food. According to recent studies, the Frayser community has poor access to healthy foods. The gap in social work practice is the limited access to healthy food options in Frayser. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore Frayser residents’ perceptions of food security and healthy food options in their community. Structuration theory was used to explore the dynamic relationship between societal structures and community members' agency in obtaining healthy foods despite the inaccessibility of grocery stores. Using a qualitative approach, nine participants were interviewed via a semistructured format. The participants were Frayser residents who were at least 18 years of age.. The data from the interviews were verbatim transcribed on Zoom and later entered into Microsoft Excel to organize the interview data, and NVIVO to organize, analyze, and to find patterns in the data. Five emergent themes were revealed: (a) Limited geographic access to healthy food is a barrier to healthy eating, (b) Lack of supportive urban infrastructure is a barrier to healthy eating, (c) Financial constraints can limit access to nutritional foods, (d) Residents eat what is accessible and conveniently available, and (e) Nutritional gaps happen because eating healthy is too expensive. Potential positive social change implications include providing an understanding of the experiences of residents in food-desert communities as they seek access to consistent, healthy food options, which can inform how to better meet the needs of the community.

Download

Included in

Social Work Commons

Share

 
COinS