Have electronic benefits cards improved food access for food stamp recipients?

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 958-975 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Lovett ◽  
Yuhan Xue
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Food Stamp ◽  
California Health Interview Survey ◽  
Benefits Transfer ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Externality ◽  
Interview Survey ◽  
Electronic Benefits Transfer ◽  
Roll Out

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card reforms in California’s Food Stamp Program, and its impact on food insecurity. Design/methodology/approach The authors test the hypothesis that EBT cards reduce food insecurity by reducing the food costs associated with loss and theft of benefits, as well as by decreasing fraudulent sales of benefits. The authors use a natural experiment in the form of the time-varying roll-out of EBT card reforms across California counties in conjunction with the California Health Interview Survey, to conduct an event study. Findings The findings suggest no evidence for a decrease in food insecurity. The authors do, however, find evidence of a transitory increase in food insecurity immediately following implementation of EBT reforms. Reforms increase the likelihood of food insecurity by about 3 percent for up to two months. The result is distinguishable from zero, and robust to changes in specification, inclusion of controls, and measurement choices. The authors posit the increase was due to frictions in the transition to EBT card systems. Originality/value Although a considerable literature with regard to the FSP exists, very little has been written investigating a specific linkage between EBT cards and food security. The findings are not supportive of policy makers’ hypothesis that a positive externality of EBT benefits delivery is a lasting reduction in food insecurity.

scholarly journals Food insecurity and healthcare access, utilization, and quality among middle and later life adults in California

2020 ◽  
pp. 089826432096756
Author(s):  
Emily A. Janio ◽  
Dara H. Sorkin
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Healthcare Access ◽  
Later Life ◽  
California Health Interview Survey ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Doctor Who ◽  
Healthcare Settings ◽  
Interview Survey

Objectives: This study examined the association between food insecurity status and healthcare access, utilization, and quality among adults aged 55 years and older. Methods: Data collected between 2011 and 2016 for the California Health Interview Survey were used. The sample included 72,212 individuals who were divided into three groups: food secure (FS), low food security (L-FS), and very low food security (VL-FS). Results: Logistic regression analyses controlled for demographics. Food insecurity was associated with decreased access to and quality of care and increased utilization. Specifically, VL-FS was more likely to delay care than FS. Additionally, VL-FS and L-FS had greater odds of visiting an emergency room than FS. Furthermore, VL-FS and L-FS were more likely to have a doctor who did not always explain aspects of care carefully compared to FS. Discussion: These findings suggest a need for increased screening for food insecurity in healthcare settings.

scholarly journals The Overlooked Burden of Food Insecurity among Asian Americans: Results from the California Health Interview Survey

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 1684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monideepa Becerra ◽  
Salome Mshigeni ◽  
Benjamin Becerra
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Asian American ◽  
English Language ◽  
The United States ◽  
California Health Interview Survey ◽  
Health Interview Survey ◽  
Health Interview ◽  
Interview Survey ◽  
At Home

Objective: Food insecurity remains a major public health issue in the United States, though lack of research among Asian Americans continue to underreport the issue. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and burden of food insecurity among disaggregated Asian American populations. Methods: The California Health Interview Survey, the largest state health survey, was used to assess the prevalence of food insecurity among Asian American subgroups with primary exposure variable of interest being acculturation. Survey-weighted descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable robust Poisson regression analyses, were conducted and alpha less than 0.05 was used to denote significance. Results: The highest prevalence of food insecurity was found among Vietnamese (16.42%) and the lowest prevalence was among Japanese (2.28%). A significant relationship was noted between prevalence of food insecurity and low acculturation for Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese subgroups. Language spoken at home was significant associated with food insecurity. For example, among Chinese, being food insecure was associated with being bilingual (prevalence ratio [PR] = 2.51) or speaking a non-English language at home (PR = 7.24), while among South Asians, it was associated with speaking a non-English language at home was also related to higher prevalence (PR = 3.62), as compared to English speakers only. Likewise, being foreign-born also related to being food insecure among Chinese (PR = 2.31), Filipino (PR = 1.75), South Asian (PR = 3.35), Japanese (PR = 2.11), and Vietnamese (PR = 3.70) subgroups, when compared to their US-born counterparts. Conclusion: There is an imperative need to address food insecurity burden among Asian Americans, especially those who have low acculturation.

scholarly journals The Cost of Caring: Economic Vulnerability, Serious Emotional Distress, and Poor Health Behaviors Among Paid and Unpaid Family and Friend Caregivers

2017 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 791-809 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey J. Hoffman ◽  
Steven P. Wallace
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Distress ◽  
Informal Caregivers ◽  
California Health Interview Survey ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Economic Vulnerability ◽  
Care Recipients ◽  
Unhealthy Behavior ◽  
Interview Survey ◽  
The Cost

This study examined differences between paid and unpaid family/friend caregivers to better understand the consumer-driven caregiving workforce. We compared economic vulnerability, unhealthy behavior, and serious emotional distress for 475 paid and 10,500 unpaid family/friend informal caregivers from the 2009 California Health Interview Survey. We then estimated whether caregiver status moderated the relationship between economic vulnerability and health outcomes. Compared to unpaid family/friend caregivers, paid family/friend caregivers had a 27% greater risk ( p = .002) of economic vulnerability. Among all family/friend caregivers, the probabilities of serious emotional distress and unhealthy behaviors increased by >100% and 28% for those with the greatest compared to the least economic vulnerability, and caregiver type did not moderate these relationships. To address economic and health vulnerabilities of paid informal caregivers, policy makers might increase wages in consumer-driven programs. These changes could prove beneficial to both paid informal caregivers and their care recipients, while reducing long-term inefficiencies in consumer-driven programs.

scholarly journals Understanding the relationship between Food Insecurity, Excess Body Weight, and Mental Health among Latinos in California. 2014

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatiana Martinez-Jaikel ◽  
Sulochana Basnet
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
California Health Interview Survey ◽  
Excess Body Weight ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Interview Survey ◽  
Sectional Analysis

Objectives: 1) To determine the association between food insecurity and excess body weight among Latinos in California, and whether it differs by gender. 2) To examine the role of psychological distress as a mediator in this relationship. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted in adults participating in the California Health Interview Survey in 2014, who self-reported as Latinos (n=3779). Using logistic regression, we examined the associations of interest while controlling for key covariates. Results: Food insecurity was positive and significantly associated with excess body weight in Latino women, but not men. Psychological distress was positively associated with food insecurity, but not with excess body weight. Conclusions: Psychological distress did not appear to be a mediator in the food insecurity-body weight association in this sample. More studies are needed to fully understand the relationships among mental health, obesity and food insecurity.

scholarly journals Food insecurity is associated with unhealthy dietary practices among US veterans in California

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (14) ◽  
pp. 2569-2576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monideepa B Becerra ◽  
Christina M Hassija ◽  
Benjamin J Becerra
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
California Health Interview Survey ◽  
Poverty Level ◽  
Dietary Practices ◽  
Fast Foods ◽  
Health Interview Survey ◽  
Health Interview ◽  
Interview Survey ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Us Veterans

AbstractObjectiveUS veterans (hereafter, ‘veterans’) are at risk for being overweight or obese and associated unhealthy behaviours, including poor diet; although limited studies have examined the underlying factors associated with such outcomes. As such, the present study evaluated the association between food insecurity and dietary practices among veterans.DesignA secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the California Health Interview Survey (2009, 2011/2012) was conducted. Survey weights were applied to identify univariate means, population estimates and weighted percentages. Bivariate analyses followed by survey-weighted negative binomial regression were used to model the association between food insecurity and dietary practices of fruit, vegetable, fast food and soda intakes.SettingCalifornia Health Interview Survey 2009–2011/2012.SubjectsThe present study included a total of 11 011 veterans from California.ResultsNearly 5 % of the studied veteran population reported living in poverty with food insecurity. Compared with those at or above the poverty level and those in poverty but food secure, the mean intakes of fruits and vegetables were lower, while the mean intakes of soda and fast foods (Pfor trend <0·05) were higher among veterans living in poverty with food insecurity. Food insecurity was associated with 24 and 142 % higher average consumption of fast foods and soda, respectively, and 24 % lower fruit intake.ConclusionsFood insecurity remains a burden among veterans and is associated with unhealthy dietary practices. Targeted interventions to improve diet quality are imperative.

Financial access and economic development: the moderating role of financial consumer protection

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 406-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Kriese ◽  
Joshua Yindenaba Abor ◽  
Elikplimi Agbloyor
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
World Bank ◽  
Financial Literacy ◽  
Compliance Monitoring ◽  
Financial Access ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The World Bank ◽  
Moderating Role

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating role of financial consumer protection (FCP) in the access–development nexus. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on cross-country data on 102 countries surveyed in the World Bank Global Survey on FCP and Financial Literacy (2013). The White heteroscedasticity adjusted regressions and Two-stage least squares regressions (2SLS) are used for the estimation. Findings Interactions between FCP regulations that foster fair treatment, disclosure, dispute resolution and recourse and financial access have positive net effects on economic development. However, there is no sufficient evidence to suggest that interactions between financial access and enforcement and compliance monitoring regulations have a significant effect on economic development. Practical implications First, policy makers should continue with efforts aimed at instituting FCP regimes as part of strategies aimed at broadening access to financial services for enhanced economic development. Second, instituting FCP regimes per se may not be enough. Policy makers need to consider possible intervening factors such as the provision of adequate resources and supervisory authority, for compliance monitoring and enforcement to achieve the expected positive effect on economic development. Originality/value This study extends evidence in the law–finance–growth literature by providing empirical evidence on the effect of legal institution specific to the protection of retail financial consumers on the access–development nexus using a nouvel data set, the World Bank Global survey on FCP and Financial Literacy (2013).

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