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Association of food insecurity with health, access to care, affordability of care, fi nancial burden of care, and fi nancial hardships among US adults during the COVID-19 pandemic
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Association of food insecurity with health, access to care, affordability of care, fi nancial burden of care, and fi nancial hardships among US adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

S. Park, A. N. Ortega, J. Chen, K. Mortensen and A. V. Bustamante
Public health (London), v 230, pp 183-189
01 May 2024
PMID: 38565064

Abstract

Life Sciences & Biomedicine Public, Environmental & Occupational Health Science & Technology
Objectives: To examine the associations between food insecurity and health, access to care, affordability of care, financial burden of care, and financial hardships among US adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and examine whether the associations were less pronounced among adults with safety nets. Study design: We conducted a retrospective longitudinal cohort study using the 2020-2021 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Methods: Linear probability models were used to assess the associations between food insecurity in one year and the outcomes of interest in the following year while adjusting for baseline characteristics. We performed the analyses for the entire population and then conducted stratified analyses for adults with and without Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or Medicaid coverage. Results: Compared with food -secure adults, food -insecure adults were 9.1 percentage points less likely to report life satisfaction and 9.9, 10.2, and 13.2 percentage points more likely to experience delays in getting medical care, postpone or forgo medical care because of cost, and struggle with paying medical bills. Food -insecure adults were 30.4, 27.2, and 23.5 percentage points more likely to face challenges in affording necessities, paying utility bills, and meeting rent or mortgage payments on time than foodsecure adults. Notably, the strengths of these associations were attenuated among adults with SNAP benefits or Medicaid coverage. Conclusions: Food insecurity was associated with poor health, limited access to and affordability of care, and a greater financial burden of care among US adults during the pandemic. Nevertheless, safety net programs can play a critical role in alleviating adverse consequences.

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#2 Zero Hunger
#3 Good Health and Well-Being
#1 No Poverty

Source: SDGs in the Output

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
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