scholarly journals Understanding Food Insecurity Resilience of Refugee Families in the United States

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 96-96
Author(s):  
Maryam Alhabas ◽  
Edward Frongillo ◽  
Christine Blake ◽  
Maryah Fram ◽  
Nadine Sahyoun
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
University Of South Carolina ◽  
Assistance Programs ◽  
Refugee Families ◽  
Research Award ◽  
The Us

Abstract Objectives This research investigated the experience of household food insecurity among Syrian refugees resettled in the US using the lens of family resilience. The objectives were to understand how refugee families create resilience to food insecurity in the US, how they construct the meaning of food insecurity as a source of stress in comparison to other stressors, and what are the family's capabilities that have played a role in their efforts to reduce food insecurity. Methods This qualitative case study was conducted with 9 Syrian refugee families who lived in the Washington metropolitan area for 8 years or less. An Arabic semi-structured interview guide was developed. A maximum of three separate interviews were conducted in each family, one with each of two adults (usually parents) and one with the child. Demographics, information about their network of family and friends in the US, and the Arab Family Food Security Scale were collected. Arabic data from 17 in-depth interviews were analyzed using the family adaptation and adjustment response model. Results All 9 families were using food assistance programs (SNAP and/or WIC), and 3 of them were food insecure at the time of the interviews. Although experiences of food insecurity varied between families and over time, most families reported greater food insecurity immediately after arriving in the US with food security improving as additional resources (e.g., SNAP) were accessed. However, being food insecure was not perceived as a stressor to most families because they had lived a difficult life in the country from which they escaped. Their major stressors were fear of losing their jobs and of being unable to pay their bills and rent. Each family had a unique capability, with their own combination of resources and strategies, for maintaining household income and food availability, but social networks consistently played an important role in families’ efforts to reduce food insecurity. Conclusions Food insecurity was not perceived as a major stressor because families experienced a broad range of insecurities including finances, housing, and employment. The social network was one of the most important resources that supported families’ capabilities to improve their food status. Funding Sources The research is partially funded by a University of South Carolina doctoral research award.

scholarly journals Food Insecurity Is Associated With Cardiovascular and All‐Cause Mortality Among Adults in the United States

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (19) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yangbo Sun ◽  
Buyun Liu ◽  
Shuang Rong ◽  
Yang Du ◽  
Guifeng Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sampling Weights ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease Mortality ◽  
Disease Mortality ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Us

Background Food insecurity is a global leading public health challenge that affects not only developing countries but also developed countries, including the United States. About 50 million Americans are food insecure. In this study we examined the associations of the adult food insecurity with all‐cause and cardiovascular disease mortality in a nationally representative sample of US adults. Methods and Results We included 27 188 US adults (age ≥40 years of age) who participated in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2014. Food insecurity status was assessed using the Food Security Survey Module developed by the US Department of Agriculture. Mortality from all causes and cardovascular disease was ascertained through data linkage to the National Death Index through December 31, 2015. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression with sampling weights to estimate hazard ratios ( HR s) and 95% CIs of all‐cause and cardiovascular disease mortality, according to food security status. During 205 389 person‐years of the period, 5039 deaths occurred, including 1084 cardiovascular disease deaths. After adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, income, and dietary and lifestyle factors, participants with very low food security had higher risk of all‐cause and cardiovascular disease mortality, with multivariable‐adjusted HR s of 1.32 (95% CI , 1.07–1.62), and 1.53 (95% CI, 1.04–2.26), respectively, compared with those with high food security. Conclusions Food insecurity is significantly associated with increased risk of excess death from cardiovascular disease and all causes in US adults.

Food Assistance Programs and Food Security

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Gundersen
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Food Assistance ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Food Assistance Programs ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Assistance Programs ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

Food insecurity is a leading public-health challenge in the United States today. This is primarily due to the magnitude of the problem—about 50 million persons are food insecure—and the serious negative health and other outcomes associated with being food insecure. This chapter first defines the measure used to delineate whether a household is food insecure. The measure, the Core Food Security Module (CFSM), is based on 18 questions about a household’s food situation. From the responses, a household is defined as food secure, low food secure, or very low food secure, with the latter two categories defined as “food insecure.” I next discuss the extent of food insecurity in the United States across various dimensions, the key determinants of food insecurity, and the multiple negative consequences associated with food insecurity. Two of the key policy tools used to address food insecurity are the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as the Food Stamp Program) and the National School Lunch Program. A brief overview and definition of the eligibility criteria for each program is provided along with a discussion of their respective impacts on food insecurity. This chapter concludes with four major current challenges pertaining to food insecurity and food assistance programs.

scholarly journals Food Insecurity and COVID-19: Disparities in Early Effects for US Adults

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia A. Wolfson ◽  
Cindy W. Leung
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Basic Needs ◽  
Poverty Line ◽  
The United States ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
The Us ◽  
Federal Poverty Line ◽  
Early Effects

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically increased food insecurity in the United States (US). The objective of this study was to understand the early effects of the COVID-19 pandemic among low-income adults in the US as social distancing measures began to be implemented. On 19–24 March 2020 we fielded a national, web-based survey (53% response rate) among adults with <250% of the federal poverty line in the US (N = 1478). Measures included household food security status and COVID-19-related basic needs challenges. Overall, 36% of low-income adults in the US were food secure, 20% had marginal food security, and 44% were food insecure. Less than one in five (18.8%) of adults with very low food security reported being able to comply with public health recommendations to purchase two weeks of food at a time. For every basic needs challenge, food-insecure adults were significantly more likely to report facing that challenge, with a clear gradient effect based on severity of food security. The short-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are magnifying existing disparities and disproportionately affecting low-income, food-insecure households that already struggle to meet basic needs. A robust, comprehensive policy response is needed to mitigate food insecurity as the pandemic progresses.

Hunger, Nutrition, and Food Programs

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristine Siefert
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
High Standard ◽  
The United States ◽  
Assistance Programs ◽  
Adequate Funding ◽  
Food And Nutrition ◽  
Nutrition Assistance ◽  
Nutrition Assistance Programs

Food insecurity and hunger are serious problems around the world, with an estimated 870 million people chronically undernourished. The vast majority of these people—an estimated 14.9%—live in developing countries. Although federal food and nutrition assistance programs and the generally high standard of living in the United States have eliminated the more extreme forms of hunger found in developing countries, less severe but nonetheless serious forms of hunger and food insecurity affect millions of households. Food and nutrition programs require adequate funding, increased access, and further evaluation, but to achieve the goals of ending hunger and assuring food security for all, multisectoral strategies that address the macro-level determinants of food security are needed.

scholarly journals Substance Use Disorder: A Model for Integration in Undergraduate Medical Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 238212052110258
Author(s):  
Haritha Pavuluri ◽  
Nicolas Poupore ◽  
William Michael Schmidt ◽  
Samantha Gabrielle Boniface ◽  
Meenu Jindal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
South Carolina ◽  
Substance Use Disorder ◽  
The United States ◽  
University Of South Carolina ◽  
Community Recovery ◽  
School Of Medicine ◽  
Treatment Gaps ◽  
The University

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a debilitating chronic illness with significant morbidity and mortality across the United States. The AAMC and LCME have supported the efforts for more effective medical education of SUD to address the existing stigma, knowledge, and treatment gaps. The Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and associated social, economic, and behavioral impacts have added to this urgency. The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville (USCSOMG), in collaboration with community organizations, has successfully implemented an integrated SUD education curriculum for medical students. Students learn about SUD in basic sciences, receive case-based education during clinical exercises, and are provided the opportunity to become a recovery coach and participate in the patient and family recovery meetings through this curriculum during preclinical years. During the clinical years, SUD education is enhanced with exposure to Medication for Addition Treatment (MAT). Students also partake in the care coordination of patients with SUD between the hospital and community recovery organizations. All students receive MAT waiver training in their final year and are prepared to prescribe treatment for SUD upon graduation. The experiences in this integrated curriculum integration can perhaps assist other organizations to implement similar components and empower the next generation of physicians to be competent and effective in treating patients with SUD.

scholarly journals High food insecurity in Latinx families and associated COVID-19 infection in the Greater Bay Area, California

BMC Nutrition ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Milagro Escobar ◽  
Andrea DeCastro Mendez ◽  
Maria Romero Encinas ◽  
Sofia Villagomez ◽  
Janet M. Wojcicki
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Employment Status ◽  
The United States ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Bay Area ◽  
Household Food ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Food insecurity impacts nearly one-in-four Latinx households in the United States and has been exacerbated by the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We examined the impact of COVID-19 on household and child food security in three preexisting, longitudinal, Latinx urban cohorts in the San Francisco Bay Area (N = 375 households, 1875 individuals). Households were initially recruited during pregnancy and postpartum at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG) and UCSF Benioff prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. For this COVID-19 sub-study, participants responded to a 15-min telephonic interview. Participants answered 18 questions from the US Food Security Food Module (US HFSSM) and questions on types of food consumption, housing and employment status, and history of COVID-19 infection as per community or hospital-based testing. Food security and insecurity levels were compared with prior year metrics. Results We found low levels of household food security in Latinx families (by cohort: 29.2%; 34.2%; 60.0%) and child food security (56.9%, 54.1%, 78.0%) with differences between cohorts explained by self-reported levels of education and employment status. Food security levels were much lower than those reported previously in two cohorts where data had been recorded from prior years. Reported history of COVID-19 infection in households was 4.8% (95% Confidence Interval (CI); 1.5–14.3%); 7.2% (95%CI, 3.6–13.9%) and 3.5% (95%CI, 1.7–7.2%) by cohort and was associated with food insecurity in the two larger cohorts (p = 0.03; p = 0.01 respectively). Conclusions Latinx families in the Bay Area with children are experiencing a sharp rise in food insecurity levels during the COVID-19 epidemic. Food insecurity, similar to other indices of poverty, is associated with increased risk for COVID-19 infection. Comprehensive interventions are needed to address food insecurity in Latinx populations and further studies are needed to better assess independent associations between household food insecurity, poor nutritional health and risk of COVID-19 infection.

534 Food Insecurity and Sleep Health by Race/Ethnicity and Age Group in the United States

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A211-A211
Author(s):  
Nyree Riley ◽  
Dana Alhasan ◽  
W Braxton Jackson ◽  
Chandra Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
The United States ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
High Food ◽  
Short Sleep Duration ◽  
Sleep Health ◽  
Falling Asleep

Abstract Introduction Food insecurity may influence sleep through poor mental health (e.g., depression) and immune system suppression. Although prior studies have found food insecurity to be associated with poor sleep, few studies have investigated the food security-sleep association among racially/ethnically diverse participants and with multiple sleep dimensions. Methods Using National Health Interview Survey data, we examined overall, age-, sex/gender-, and racial/ethnic-specific associations between food insecurity and sleep health. Food security was categorized as very low, low, marginal, and high. Sleep duration was categorized as very short (&lt;6 hours), short (&lt;7 hours), recommended (7–9 hours), and long (≥9 hours). Sleep disturbances included trouble falling and staying asleep, insomnia symptoms, waking up feeling unrested, and using sleep medication (all ≥3 days/times in the previous week). Adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and other confounders, we used Poisson regression with robust variance to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for sleep dimensions by very low, low, and marginal vs. high food security. Results The 177,435 participants’ mean age was 47.2±0.1 years, 52.0% were women, 68.4% were Non-Hispanic (NH)-White. Among individuals reporting very low food security, 75.4% had an annual income of &lt;$35,000 and 60.3% were ≥50 years old. After adjustment, very low vs. high food security was associated with a higher prevalence of very short (PR=2.61 [95%CI: 2.44–2.80]) and short (PR=1.66 [95% CI: 1.60–1.72]) sleep duration. Very low vs. high food security was associated with both trouble falling asleep (PR=2.21 [95% CI: 2.12–2.30]) and trouble staying asleep (PR=1.98 [95% CI: 1.91–2.06]). Very low vs. high food security was associated with higher prevalence of very short sleep duration among Asians (PR=3.64 [95% CI: 2.67–4.97]), Whites (PR=2.73 [95% CI: 2.50–2.99]), Blacks (PR=2.03 [95% CI: 1.80–2.31]), and Hispanic/Latinxs (PR=2.65 [95% CI: 2.30–3.07]). Conclusion Food insecurity was associated with poor sleep in a diverse sample of the US population. Support (if any):

scholarly journals Measuring household food security: the global experience

2008 ◽  
Vol 21 (suppl) ◽  
pp. 27s-37s ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugo Melgar-Quinonez ◽  
Michelle Hackett
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Department Of Agriculture ◽  
Governmental Agencies ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Security Status ◽  
New Research

Measuring household food insecurity represents a challenge due to the complexity and wide array of factors associated with this phenomenon. For over one decade, researchers and agencies throughout the world have been using and assessing the validity of variations of the United States Department of Agriculture Household Food Security Supplemental Module. Thanks to numerous studies of diverse design, size, and purpose, the Household Food Security Supplemental Module has shown its suitability to directly evaluate the perceptions of individuals on their food security status. In addition, challenges and limitations are becoming clearer and new research questions are emerging as the process advances. The purpose of this article is to describe the development, validation procedures, and use of the Household Food Security Supplemental Module in very diverse settings. The most common Household Food Security Supplemental Module related studies have been conducted using criterion validity, Rasch modeling and Cronbach-Alpha Coefficient. It is critical that researchers, policy makers, governmental and non-governmental agencies intensify their efforts to further develop tools that provide valid and reliable measures of food security in diverse population groups. Additional work is needed to synthesize a universally applicable tool able to capture the global human phenomenon of food insecurity.

The Anti-Aryan Moment: Decolonization, Diplomacy, and Race in Late Pahlavi Iran

2021 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 691-702
Author(s):  
Firoozeh Kashani-Sabet
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
World War Ii ◽  
Cold War ◽  
Soviet Union ◽  
The United States ◽  
World War ◽  
The Soviet Union ◽  
The Us ◽  
Anglo American ◽  
The Cold War

In 1946, the entertainer and activist Paul Robeson pondered America's intentions in Iran. In what was to become one of the first major crises of the Cold War, Iran was fighting a Soviet aggressor that did not want to leave. Robeson posed the question, “Is our State Department concerned with protecting the rights of Iran and the welfare of the Iranian people, or is it concerned with protecting Anglo-American oil in that country and the Middle East in general?” This was a loaded question. The US was pressuring the Soviet Union to withdraw its troops after its occupation of the country during World War II. Robeson wondered why America cared so much about Soviet forces in Iranian territory, when it made no mention of Anglo-American troops “in countries far removed from the United States or Great Britain.” An editorial writer for a Black journal in St. Louis posed a different variant of the question: Why did the American secretary of state, James F. Byrnes, concern himself with elections in Iran, Arabia or Azerbaijan and yet not “interfere in his home state, South Carolina, which has not had a free election since Reconstruction?”

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