scholarly journals Food Insecurity and Risk Indicators for Sexually Transmitted Infection Among Sexually Active Persons Aged 15-44, National Survey of Family Growth, 2011-2017

2020 ◽  
Vol 135 (2) ◽  
pp. 270-281
Author(s):  
Penny S. Loosier ◽  
Laura Haderxhanaj ◽  
Oscar Beltran ◽  
Matthew Hogben
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
National Survey ◽  
Sexual Behaviors ◽  
Risk Indicators ◽  
Risk Indicator ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
The Past ◽  
Family Growth

Objectives: Food insecurity is linked to poor sexual health outcomes, especially among persons engaged in sexual behaviors that are associated with the risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We examined this link using nationally representative data. Methods: We used data on adolescents and adults aged 15-44 who reported sexual activity in the past year from 6 years (September 2011–September 2017) of cross-sectional, weighted public-use data from the National Survey of Family Growth. We compared data on persons who did and did not report food insecurity, accounting for demographic characteristics, markers of poverty, and past-year STI risk indicators (ie, engaged in 1 of 4 high-risk activities or diagnosed with chlamydia or gonorrhea). Results: Respondents who reported at least 1 past-year STI risk indicator were significantly more likely to report food insecurity (females: adjusted risk ratio [ARR] = 1.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35-1.97; P < .001; males: ARR = 1.46; 95% CI, 1.16-1.85) than respondents who did not report food insecurity. This finding was independent of the association between food insecurity and markers of poverty (≤100% federal poverty level [females: ARR = 1.46; 95% CI, 1.23-1.72; P < .001; males: ARR = 1.81; 95% CI, 1.49-2.20; P < .001]; if the respondent or someone in the household had received Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in the past year [females: ARR = 3.37; 95% CI, 2.81-4.02; P < .001; males: ARR = 3.27; 95% CI, 2.76-3.87; P < .001]). Sex with opposite- and same-sex partners in the past year was significantly associated with food insecurity (females: ARR = 1.44; 95% CI, 1.11-1.85; P = .01; males: ARR = 1.99; 95% CI, 1.15-3.42; P = .02). Conclusions: Food insecurity should be considered a social determinant of health independent of poverty, and its effect on persons at highest risk for STIs, including HIV, should be considered when planning interventions designed to decrease engagement in higher-risk sexual behaviors.

scholarly journals Does Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Reduce Food Insecurity among Households with Children? Evidence from the Current Population Survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 3178
Author(s):  
Jun Zhang ◽  
Yanghao Wang ◽  
Steven T. Yen
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Current Population Survey ◽  
Population Survey ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Current Population ◽  
Households With Children ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is designed to improve household diet and food security—a pressing problem confronting low-income families in the United States. Previous studies on the issue often ignored the methodological issue of endogenous program participation. We revisit this important issue by estimating a simultaneous equation system with ordinal household food insecurity. Data are drawn from the 2009–2011 Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement (CPS-FSS), restricted to SNAP-eligible households with children. Our results add to the stocks of empirical findings that SNAP participation ameliorates food insecurity among adults only, but increases the probabilities of low and very low food security among children. These contradictory results indicate that our selection approach with a single cross section is only partially successful, and that additional efforts are needed in further analyses of this complicated issue, perhaps with longitudinal data. Socio-demographic variables are found to affect food-secure households and food-insecure households differently, but affect SNAP nonparticipants and participants in the same direction. The state policy tools, such as broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE) and simplified reporting, can encourage SNAP participation and thus ameliorate food insecurity. Our findings can inform policy deliberations.

scholarly journals Sexual Behaviors and Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Male Veterans and Nonveterans

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 791-800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark W. Evans ◽  
Sonya Borrero ◽  
Jonathan Yabes ◽  
Elian A. Rosenfeld
Keyword(s):  
Marital Status ◽  
Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽  
Sexual Behaviors ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Female Partners ◽  
The Past ◽  
Male Veterans ◽  
Veteran Status ◽  
History Of

Little is known about the sexual health of male veterans. This study used nationally representative data from the 2011 to 2013 National Survey of Family Growth to compare sexual behaviors and history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) between male veterans and nonveterans. The sample included 3,860 men aged 18 to 44 years who reported ever having sex with a man or woman. The key independent variable was veteran status. Sexual behavior outcomes included ≥6 lifetime female partners, ≥10 lifetime partners of either sex, ≥2 past-year partners of either sex, having past-year partners of both sexes, and condom nonuse at last vaginal sex. STI outcomes included past-year history of chlamydia, gonorrhea, or receiving any STI treatment; lifetime history of herpes, genital warts, or syphilis; and an aggregate measure capturing any reported STI history. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations between veteran status and each outcome. In models adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, education, income, and marital status, veterans had significantly greater odds than nonveterans of having ≥6 lifetime female partners ( OR = 1.5, 95% CI [1.02, 2.31]). In models adjusting for age and marital status, veterans had significantly greater odds of having partners of both sexes in the past year ( OR = 4.8, 95% CI [1.2, 19.8]), and gonorrhea in the past year ( OR = 3.2, 95% CI [1.2, 8.5]). Male veterans were thus significantly more likely than nonveterans to have STI risk factors. Health care providers should be aware that male veterans may be at higher risk for STIs and assess veterans’ sexual risk behaviors.

scholarly journals An Examination of the Adequacy of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefit Levels: Impacts on Food Insecurity

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 433-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Gundersen ◽  
Elaine Waxman ◽  
Amy S. Crumbaugh
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
The United States ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Nutrition Assistance ◽  
The Cost

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) serves as the primary tool to alleviate food insecurity in the United States. Its effectiveness has been demonstrated in numerous studies, but the majority of SNAP recipients are still food insecure. One factor behind this is the difference in food prices across the country—SNAP benefits are not adjusted to reflect these differences. Using information from Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap (MMG) project, we compare the cost of a meal by county based on the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP)—which is used to set the maximum SNAP benefit—with the cost of the average meal for low-income food-secure households. We find that the cost of the latter meal is higher than the TFP meal for over 99 percent of the counties. We next consider the reduction in food insecurity if, by county, the maximum SNAP benefit level was set to the cost of the average meal for low-income food-secure households. We find that if this approach were implemented, there would be a decline of 50.9 percent in food insecurity among SNAP recipients at a cost of $23 billion.

scholarly journals Perspective: The Convergence of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Food Insecurity in the United States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason M Nagata ◽  
Hilary K Seligman ◽  
Sheri D Weiser
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Micronutrient Deficiencies ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Assistance Programs ◽  
United States Food ◽  
Households With Children ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

ABSTRACT During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, food insecurity has doubled overall and tripled among households with children in the United States. Food insecurity and COVID-19 may exacerbate one another through bidirectional links, leading to a syndemic, or sequential disease clusters, which exacerbate one another. Experiencing food insecurity may be associated with macronutrient and micronutrient deficiencies, which can weaken host defenses, thus increasing susceptibility to COVID-19. Food insecurity is associated with chronic medical conditions, which may afford a higher risk of severe COVID-19 illness. People experiencing food insecurity may have increased exposure to COVID-19 while procuring food. People with COVID-19 may be unable to work, generate income, and procure food while quarantined, which may exacerbate food insecurity. Clinicians should screen for food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide referrals to food-assistance programs when appropriate. Policymakers should expand benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to address increases in the depth and breadth of food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coercive First Intercourse and Unintended First Births

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 351-363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corrine M. Williams ◽  
Kate M. Brett ◽  
Joyce C. Abma
Keyword(s):  
Live Birth ◽  
National Survey ◽  
Sexual Behaviors ◽  
Risky Sexual Behaviors ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Representative Data ◽  
First Intercourse ◽  
Family Growth ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Victims Of Violence

Since research has shown that victims of violence are more likely to be involved in subsequent risky sexual behaviors, we hypothesized that coercive first intercourse would be associated with unintended first births. Using nationally representative data from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth, we analyzed female respondents aged 18–44 years who reported a live birth (n = 4,136). Coercion was classified as none/minimal, mild, or significant based on self-report. In 2002, 13.7% of U.S. women aged 18–44 who had at least one live birth experienced mild coercion and 9.8% experienced significant coercion at first intercourse. Compared with women who experienced no coercion, the odds of reporting an unintended first birth was greater for women who experienced mild (OR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.4–2.6) or significant coercion (OR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.6–3.4).

scholarly journals The Achilles’ Heel of HIV Treatment for Prevention

2011 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 365-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seth C. Kalichman ◽  
Chauncey Cherry ◽  
Denise White ◽  
Mich'l Jones ◽  
Moira Kalichman
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Behaviors ◽  
Hiv Treatment ◽  
Hiv Positive ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
The Past ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Transgender Persons ◽  
History Of ◽  
Living With Hiv

Background: Antiretroviral therapies (ARTs) offer promising new avenues for HIV prevention. Unfortunately, people infected with HIV who have co-occurring sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are more infectious than suggested by the amount of virus in their peripheral blood. We examined the history of sexually transmitted coinfections in people living with HIV. Methods: People living with HIV/AIDS completed confidential computerized interviews that assessed history of STI, sexual behaviors, and STI knowledge. Results: Among 414 men and 156 women currently receiving ART, 53% had been diagnosed with at least 1 STI since testing HIV positive; 24% women, 19% men, and 11% transgender persons had been diagnosed with an STI in the past year. History of STI was associated with younger age, greater STI knowledge, substance use, and ART nonadherence. Conclusions: Aggressive strategies for detecting and treating STI in people receiving ART will be necessary to achieve protective benefits.

scholarly journals Identification of factors related to food insecurity and the implications for social determinants of health screenings

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley R. Banks ◽  
Bethany A. Bell ◽  
David Ngendahimana ◽  
Milen Embaye ◽  
Darcy A. Freedman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Social Determinants Of Health ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ◽  
Determinants Of Health ◽  
Healthy Foods ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
And Behaviors ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

Abstract Background Food insecurity and other social determinants of health are increasingly being measured at routine health care visits. Understanding the needs and behaviors of individuals or families who screen positive for food insecurity may inform the types of resources they need. The goal of this research was to identify modifiable characteristics related to endorsement of two food insecurity screener questions to better understand the resources necessary to improve outcomes. Methods Analysis was conducted focusing on cross-sectional survey data collected in 2015–2016 from participants (N = 442) living in urban neighborhoods in Ohio with limited access to grocery stores. Food insecurity was assessed by the endorsement of at least one of two items. These were used to categorize participants into two groups: food insecure(N = 252) or food secure (N = 190). Using logistic regression, we estimated the association between several variables and the food insecure classification. Results Those that used their own car when shopping for food had lower odds of reporting food insecurity, as did those with affirmative attitudes related to the convenience of shopping for and ease of eating healthy foods. As shopping frequency increased, the odds of food insecurity increased. Food insecurity also increased with experience of a significant life event within the past 12 months. There was an 81% increase in the odds of reporting food insecurity among participants who received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits compared to those not receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Conclusions Along with referrals to SNAP, clinicians can further address screening-identified food insecurity through provision of transportation supports and linkages to other social services while collaborating on community initiatives to promote convenient and easy access to healthy foods. The needs and behaviors associated with screens indicating food insecurity also have implications for impacting other SDH, and thus, health outcomes.

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