Socio-demographic and geographic disparities of population-level food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand

Financial Hardship on Food Security in Ageing Populations

Objective: This study investigated the prevalence of food security, and the association of food security with financial hardship and socio-demographic characteristics among the ageing population in Thailand. Methods: The study extracted data on 1,197 persons age 60 years or older from a nationally-representative sample survey of Thai households. The food security data were collected using the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization. Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the association between financial hardship, socio-demographic characteristics, and food security. Results: Of the total sample, 71% had food security. The least probability of having food security was observed in the respondents who sometimes and often had income problems (p < 0.001), and felt dissatisfied with their financial situation (p < 0.001). The respondents who were female, at oldest-old age, with lower than primary school education and in the Northeast were less likely to have food security. Conclusion: These findings suggest the need for government assistance for those who are experiencing financial hardship to help them manage their finances and food security more effectively, taking into account different socio-demographic characteristics.