scholarly journals Food Insecurity and Mental Health Status Among Immigrants in High-Income Countries Between 2014–2017

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 179-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan Dou ◽  
Diane Mitchell ◽  
Muzi Na

Abstract Objectives To assess the prevalence and trend of food insecurity (FI), mental wellbeing and their associations in the understudied immigrants living in high-income countries between 2014–2017. Methods Using nationally representative Gallup World Poll data from 2014 to 2017, a total of 15,343 immigrants from 48 World Bank defined high-income countries were included. Individual FI status was measured by the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) and categorized into food secure and mild, moderate and severe FI groups. Mental wellbeing was assessed by the Negative Experience Index (NEI, the greater the worse) and the Positive Experience Index (PEI, the greater the better). Multiple linear regression models were used to examine the association between FI and NEI/PEI, adjusting for age, gender, marital status, education, employment status, annual household income, residency, household size, and the number of children younger than 15 y in the household. Results The prevalence of FI in immigrants decreased from 38.4% in 2014 to 28.9% in 2017 globally (p-trend <0.001). During 2014–2017, the overall mental wellbeing in immigrants improved as the mean (SD) NEI decreased from 32.8 (1.1) to 27.8 (0.5) and PEI increased from 63.1 (1.1) to 73.2 (0.5), respectively (both p-trend <0.001). In the pooled adjusted model, FI was dose-responsively associated with greater NEI in mild (12.8 [11.7, 14.1]), moderate (20.5 [18.7,22.3]), and severe FI groups (28.3 [26.1, 30.5]) as compared to the food secure referent. By year analyses revealed that the gap in NEI between immigrants in the severe FI and food secure group widened by ∼10 points from 22.7 [14.7, 30.8] in 2014 to 32.3 [28.24, 36.38] in 2017. The dose-responsive association and its trend over time was less clear in PEI. Conclusions Progressive FI is significantly associated with poor mental wellbeing among immigrants in high income countries. Despite the improvement in food security and mental health status in immigrants, severely food insecure immigrants have had worsened mental wellbeing in recent years. Future policies are required to address disparities in food access and mental health in vulnerable immigrants. Funding Sources FAO's Voices of the Hungry Project for having granted access to the full GWP data set and supporting materials, which allowed the present study to be conducted.

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
P. G. Robinson ◽  
T. R. Williamson ◽  
I. R. Murray ◽  
J. F. Maempel ◽  
D. J. MacDonald ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose The Forgotten Joint Score (FJS-12) is a valid tool in the evaluation of patients undergoing hip arthroscopy, assessing the unique concept of joint awareness in the setting of a patient’s hip pathology. The preoperative burden on patients’ mental wellbeing of impaired joint function or symptoms is well established. The purpose of this study was to determine patients’ awareness of their hip joint whilst awaiting hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement, to explore any association between joint awareness and mental health status, and to determine whether this relates to time spent waiting for arthroscopy preoperatively. Methods A prospective database of patients undergoing hip arthroscopy between January 2018 and November 2020 was analysed. All patients with a diagnosis of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) undergoing arthroscopic treatment were included. Questionnaires included the FJS-12, twelve item international hip outcome tool (iHOT-12), EuroQol 5D-5L (EQ-5D-5L) and the Tegner activity score. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to assess relationships between continuous variables. Results Preoperative functional outcomes were completed by 81 patients (97.5%) prior to undergoing hip arthroscopy. Median preoperative FJS-12 score was 16.67 (IQR 8.33 – 29.68). Forty-four patients reported any level of anxiety/depression preoperatively (54.3%). Preoperative FJS-12 showed a significant negative correlation with worsening mental health status (r = − 0.359, p <  0.001), and a significant positive correlation with EQ-5D-5L (r = 0.445, p <  0.001). The duration of symptoms or time on the waiting list did not correlate with increased joint awareness or worsened mental health. Conclusion Joint awareness is high when awaiting hip arthroscopy for FAI. Increasing levels of joint awareness correlate with poorer mental health status and poorer quality of life measures, however these parameters do not seem to be associated with increased duration of symptoms prior to surgery or time on the waiting list for surgery.


Author(s):  
Hamna Zahid

Introduction: Food security is a rising concern worldwide. It is estimated that more than one billion people lack adequate supply of dietary energy and that at least half that amount suffers from micronutrient deficiencies. It is influenced by several factors: income, employment, race/ethnicity and disability, which adversely affect health. Food security has been considered as a risk factor for depression, stress and anxiety. Aims & Objectives: The research aimed to find the effect of food insecurity on mental health using systematic analysis. Place and duration of study: Data was gathered using Google Scholar, Medline, Embase, Science Direct and books from studies conducted between 2015 and 2020. Material & Methods: Systematic analysis was conducted with references to the literature. Results: This review showed a strong link of food insecurity with mental health status like depression, anxiety, and stress. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the tests of depression and mental health in both secured and foodinsecure food areas should be mandatory at the primary health level. It is suggested that food insecurity interventions on national and regional levels may help reduce the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress and improve the overall mental health status of the community.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-47
Author(s):  
Joana Abou-Rizk ◽  
Theresa Jeremias ◽  
Georgiana Cocuz ◽  
Lara Nasreddine ◽  
Lamis Jomaa ◽  
...  

Abstract Syrian refugees in Lebanon are facing vulnerabilities that are affecting their food insecurity levels. The objectives of this study were to measure dietary diversity, food insecurity (FI), and mental health status of Syrian refugee mothers in Lebanon and to explore its associations with their anemia and nutritional status. A cross-sectional study was conducted among mothers with children under 5 years (n=433) in Greater Beirut, Lebanon. Dietary diversity was measured using the Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women of Reproductive Age (MDD-W) and FI using the global Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) at the individual level. Depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were measured to assess the maternal mental health status. Data on socio-economic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, and hemoglobin concentrations were collected. Overall, 63.3% of the mothers had a low dietary diversity (LDD) and 34.4% were moderately to severely food insecure, with 12.5% being severely food insecure. The prevalence of PTSD, moderate depression, and severe depression were 13.2%, 11.1%, and 9.9%, respectively. A significant correlation was found between LDD and FI (P<0.001). A low-income was significantly associated with LDD and FI. Poor mental health was significantly associated with FI. LDD and FI were not associated with anemia and nutritional status of mothers. Low-income households had significantly higher intakes of grains and refined starchy staples, whereas high-income households consumed more nutritious foods and sweets. Evidence of inadequate diet quality, FI, and poor mental health among Syrian refugee mothers in Lebanon are presented. Multifaceted actions are needed to reduce FI and improve dietary diversity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 134 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Posselt ◽  
Heather McIntyre ◽  
Mtho Ngcanga ◽  
Thomas Lines ◽  
Nicholas Procter

Abstract Introduction The last 5 years have witnessed a significant increase in the number of people fleeing their countries of origin and seeking refuge in host countries. By the end of 2018, there were 3.5 million asylum seekers awaiting outcomes on their applications, the majority of whom were hosted by middle- to high-income countries. This review aimed to identify and synthesize current knowledge regarding the mental health status of asylum seekers in middle- to high-income countries. Sources of data A search was conducted across various databases for research literature published within the last 5 years (2014–2019). The final review and synthesis included 25 articles. Areas of agreement Findings highlighted significant differences in the mental health status of asylum seekers compared to those with refugee status and permanent residence. Areas of controversy Guidelines from the World Health Organization and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees emphasize the need to understand and address mental health issues. Instead, there have been policy changes in many host countries regarding asylum applications, and the associated effects of these changes have been shown to negatively impact mental health. Growing points The synthesized findings from the present review provide information regarding the current mental health status of asylum seekers hosted by middle- to high-income countries. Areas of intervention and resource allocation were also identified. Areas timely for developing research Future research should consider the impact of large-scale, low-cost interventions to support the mental health of those seeking asylum.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongjian Zhu ◽  
Liqing Cao ◽  
Jingui Xie ◽  
Yugang Yu ◽  
Anfan Chen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background. The outbreak and rapid spread of COVID-19 not only caused an adverse impact on physical health but also brought about mental health problems among the public.Methods. To assess the causal impact of COVID-19 on psychological changes in China, we constructed a city-level panel data set based on the expressed sentiment in the contents of 13 million geotagged tweets on Sina Weibo, the Chinese largest microblog platform.Results. Applying a difference-in-differences approach, we found a significant deterioration in mental health status after the occurrence of COVID-19. We also observed that this psychological effect faded out over time during our study period and was more pronounced among women, teenagers and older adults. The mental health impact was more likely to be observed in cities with low levels of initial mental health status, economic development, medical resources, and social security.Conclusions. Our findings may assist the understanding of COVID-19’s mental health impact and yield useful insights on how to make effective psychological interventions in this kind of sudden public health event.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongjian Zhu ◽  
Jingui Xie ◽  
Yugang Yu ◽  
Anfan Chen

Abstract The outbreak and rapid spread of COVID-19 not only caused an adverse impact on physical health but also brought about mental health problems among the public. To assess the causal impact of COVID-19 on psychological changes in China, we constructed a city-level panel data set based on the expressed sentiment in the contents of 13 million geotagged tweets on Sina Weibo, the Chinese largest microblog platform. Applying a difference-in-differences approach, we found a significant deterioration in mental health status after the occurrence of COVID-19. We also observed that this psychological effect faded out over time during our study period and was more pronounced among women, teenagers and older adults. The mental health impact was more likely to be observed in cities with low levels of initial mental health status, economic development, medical resources, and social security. Our findings may contribute to the understanding and control of COVID-19’s mental health impact.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 95-95
Author(s):  
Tao Chen ◽  
Shuangshuang Wang ◽  
Nengliang (Aaron) Yao

Abstract Homebound older adults are confined to their homes due to physical, mental, or social limitations, which contributes to elevated levels of depression. However, the mental health status of the homebound population in China is relatively overlooked. This study compares mental health status between homebound and non-homebound older adults, and examines the moderation effect of loneliness. The sample consists of 1,301 older adults aged 60 and over (39% homebound, 49% females, mean age = 69) from Shandong Aging and Health Survey, conducted by Shandong Provincial Government in 2019. Mental health status was measured by feelings of depression, not cheerful, bored, not calm or peaceful, and not happy. Compared to non-homebound older adults, homebound older adults tend to be older, lower educated, live in rural areas, and in worse health conditions. Results from generalized linear regression models show that controlling for demographic and physical health status, homebound population were more likely to have worse mental health status than other Chinese older adults. Feeling lonely, isolated, or lack of companionship intensifies the adverse effects of being homebound on older adults’ mental health. Findings from this study suggest that homebound older adults in China had both physical and psychological sufferings. Social programs and interventions may be designed to improve homebound older adults’ mental health. As the number of homebound older adults increases in China, medical care models may be tailored to improve the accessibility of healthcare services among people who are confined to their homes.


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