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Inoue M, Masa R, Prieto L, Baruah D, Kellermeyer K, Booker E, Sweeney G. Prevalence and Correlates of Food Insecurity Among Older Adults in the United States. JOURNAL OF GERONTOLOGICAL SOCIAL WORK 2024:1-18. [PMID: 38739384 DOI: 10.1080/01634372.2024.2339975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
This study analyzed the 2021 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to assess food insecurity among adults aged 65 and older. Among 8,877 older adults, 4 percent (N=287) reported low or very low food security levels. Those who identified as Black or African American and Hispanic or Latino were more likely to experience food insecurity compared to White individuals. The study found that merely surpassing the poverty threshold might not be sufficient to protect against food insecurity. It also underscored socioemotional support's protective role in older adults' food security. Social workers must recognize various factors influencing food security among older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megumi Inoue
- Department of Social Work, George Mason University, Virginia, USA
| | - Rainier Masa
- School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lucas Prieto
- Department of Social Work, George Mason University, Virginia, USA
| | - Dicky Baruah
- School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Emma Booker
- Department of Social Work, George Mason University, Virginia, USA
| | - Grace Sweeney
- Department of Social Work, George Mason University, Virginia, USA
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Kaggwa MM, Akatussasira R, Al-Mamun F, Prat S, Mamun MA, Combey I, Bongomin F, Harms S, Chaimowitz G, Griffiths MD, Olagunju AT. The global burden of suicidal behavior among people experiencing food insecurity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Affect Disord 2023; 342:91-120. [PMID: 37704054 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food insecurity has become a growing burden within a global context where climate change, catastrophes, wars, and insurgencies are increasingly prevalent. Several studies have reported an association between suicidal behaviors (i.e., suicide ideation, plans, and attempts) and food insecurity. This meta-analytic review synthesized the available literature to determine the pooled prevalence of suicidal behaviors among individuals experiencing food insecurity, and examined the strength of their association. METHODS Databases (Ovid, PubMed, Web of Science, and CINAHL) were searched from inception to July 2022 using appropriate search terms. Eligible studies reporting the number/prevalence of suicidal behaviors among individuals experiencing food insecurity or the association between food insecurity and suicidal behaviors were included. The pooled prevalence of suicidal behaviors was determined using the random-effects model. The review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022352858). RESULTS A total of 47 studies comprising 75,346 individuals having experienced food insecurity were included. The pooled prevalence was 22.3 % for suicide ideation (95 % CI: 14.7-29.9; I2 = 99.6 %, p < 0.001, k = 18), 18.1 % for suicide plans (95 % CI: 7.0-29.1; I2 = 99.6 %, p < 0.001, k = 4), 17.2 % for suicide attempts (95 % CI: 9.6-24.8; I2 = 99.9 %, p < 0.001, k = 12), and 4.6 % for unspecified suicidal behavior (95 % CI: 2.8-6.4; I2 = 85.5 %, p < 0.001, k = 5). There was a positive relationship between experiencing food insecurity and (i) suicide ideation (aOR = 1.049 [95 % CI: 1.046-1.052; I2 = 99.6 %, p < 0.001, k = 31]), (ii) suicide plans (aOR = 1.480 [95 % CI: 1.465-1.496; I2 = 99.1 %, p < 0.001, k = 5]), and (iii) unspecified suicide behaviors (aOR = 1.133 [95 % CI: 1.052-1.219; I2 = 53.0 %, p = 0.047, k = 6]). However, a negative relationship was observed between experiencing food insecurity and suicide attempts (aOR = 0.622 [95 % CI: 0.617-0.627; I2 = 98.8 %, p < 0.001, k = 15]). The continent and the countries income status where the study was conducted were the common causes of heterogeneity of the differences in the odds of the relationships between experiencing food insecurity and suicidal behaviors - with North America and high-income countries (HICs) having higher odds. For suicide attempts, all non HICs had a negative relationship with food insecurity. LIMITATIONS There was significant heterogeneity among the included studies. CONCLUSION There is a high prevalence of suicidal behaviors among individuals experiencing food insecurity. Initiatives to reduce food insecurity would likely be beneficial for mental wellbeing and to mitigate the risk of suicidal behaviors among population experiencing food insecurity. The paradoxical finding of suicide attempts having a negative relationship with food insecurity warrants further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Mohan Kaggwa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda; Forensic Psychiatry Program, St Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Rita Akatussasira
- Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Firoj Al-Mamun
- CHINTA Research Bangladesh, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh; Department of Public Health and Informatics, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh; Department of Public Health, University of South Asia, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Sébastien Prat
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Forensic Psychiatry Program, St Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mohammed A Mamun
- CHINTA Research Bangladesh, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh; Department of Public Health and Informatics, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh; Department of Public Health, University of South Asia, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Isabelle Combey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Forensic Psychiatry Program, St Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Institut national de psychiatrie légale Philippe-Pinel, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Felix Bongomin
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu 166, Uganda
| | - Sheila Harms
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda; McMaster Children's Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gary Chaimowitz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Forensic Psychiatry Program, St Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark D Griffiths
- Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, 50 Shakespeare Street, Nottingham NG1 4FQ, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew T Olagunju
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Forensic Psychiatry Program, St Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Discipline of Psychiatry, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, SA, Australia
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Kang SY, Cho HJ. Association Between the Use of Tobacco Products and Food Insecurity Among South Korean Adults. Int J Public Health 2022; 67:1604866. [PMID: 36158781 PMCID: PMC9492844 DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2022.1604866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: Food insecurity is the most basic form of human deprivation; thus, strategies to eradicate poverty should include policies to improve food insecurity. This study investigated the association between the use of tobacco products and food insecurity. Methods: We analyzed 21,063 adults from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2013–2015, 2019. The OR and 95% CI for food insecurity was calculated in each category of the status of tobacco products use and sociodemographic characteristics using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results: Of 21,063 participants, 7.3% belonged to the food insecurity group. The OR (95% CI) for food insecurity was 1.34 (1.08–1.65) among current users of any tobacco products compared with those who had never used any tobacco product. The odds for food insecurity were higher among those with secondhand smoke exposure, younger participants, those with lower household income, lower levels of education, manual workers or people without occupation, and separated/widowed/divorced participants. Conclusion: Use of any tobacco products was associated with food insecurity among South Korean adults. Tobacco control could improve food insecurity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seo Young Kang
- International Healthcare Center, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hong-Jun Cho
- Department of Family Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Hong-Jun Cho,
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