Hospital-Based Community Gardens as a Strategic Partner in Addressing Community Health Needs.

HOSPITAL building design & construction; NONPROFIT organizations; EVALUATION of human services programs; AGRICULTURE; CHRONIC diseases; HUMAN services programs; DISEASE prevalence; MALNUTRITION; NEEDS assessment; MEDICAL needs assessment

As part of community health needs assessments, US nonprofit hospitals are identifying a high prevalence of chronic diseases associated with poor diets. Institutions have responded by establishing nutrition-related initiatives such as farmers' markets and community gardens. There is public health value in demonstrating how these partnerships can help hospitals address identified community health needs. Here we describe diverse strategies undertaken by a hospital-based community garden at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, explore implications for US hospitals, and provide implementation guidance. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(9):939–942. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307336) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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