Perceptions and Barriers to SNAP Utilization Among Asian and Pacific Islanders in Greater Los Angeles

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 779-790
Author(s):  
Naomi T. Louie ◽  
Loan Pham Kim ◽  
Scott E. Chan
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Los Angeles ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Local Community ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Application Process ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Native Languages ◽  
Security Module

Purpose: To examine the perceptions of and barriers to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation among Asian and Pacific Islander (API) immigrants. Design: Qualitative focus groups were conducted in 4 API communities. Setting and Participants: Participants were recruited from 4 API communities (n = 68; 22 Tongan, 18 Vietnamese, 16 Filipino, and 12 Chinese) through local community-based organizations in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Method: Trained bilingual and bicultural researchers conducted 8 focus groups in English, Chinese, and Vietnamese. Prior to the start of each focus group, participants completed a demographic questionnaire which included a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Security Module. Analysis: Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and those in the native languages were transcribed verbatim. Transcripts in native languages were reviewed and translated into English. All transcripts were organized in ATLAS ti version 8.0 and analyzed using thematic analysis. The USDA Food Security Module results were scored and assessed for food insecurity. Results: Median age of participants was 58 years and 59.4% (n = 38) were food insecure. Barriers to SNAP participation were identified and organized within the Social Ecological Model by the following themes: (1) unclear program information, (2) application process, (3) shame, and (4) pride. Despite commonalities found across API subgroups, unique challenges with public charge and immigration existed within the subgroups. Conclusion: Culturally relevant in-language SNAP materials and multilevel interventions are needed to mitigate barriers and increase SNAP participation rates among low-income API groups.

scholarly journals ‘You withhold what you are feeling so you can have a family’: Latinas’ perceptions on community values and postpartum depression

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. e000504
Author(s):  
McClain Sampson ◽  
Miao Yu ◽  
Rebecca Mauldin ◽  
Angelina Mayorga ◽  
Lorena G Gonzalez
Keyword(s):  
Postpartum Depression ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Family Services ◽  
Community Values ◽  
Faith Based ◽  
Community Acceptance ◽  
Values And Beliefs

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to explore the postpartum depression (PPD) beliefs and experiences of mothers who access local community faith-based organisations providing family services to low-income, predominantly immigrant Latino populations.DesignUsing a qualitative research design, we conducted 18 focus groups with Latina mothers to inquire about their community values and beliefs of PPD. All groups were conducted in Spanish.SettingAn academic research team located in Houston, Texas, USA, partnered with six faith-based organisations in five cities to recruit and host focus groups at the site of the organisation.ParticipantsOne hundred and thirty-three women participated in the focus groups across all sites. Thirty-seven of them (27.8%) had given birth to a child in less than 1 year. Inclusion criteria included mothers 18 years and older and Latino ethnicity.ResultsA six-step process was used to apply thematic analysis to sort data into the themes. All mothers had heard of depression after childbirth, some had experienced it and most remarked that the personal experience and community acceptance of it vary by family. The main findings suggest that mothers take pride in parenting by instilling values to support family and the value of relying on family for emotional support. Findings reveal that many mothers suffer and sacrifice for their children, they feel judged and feel they must hide their emotions. Factors such as birth and postpartum customs from a native country, gender roles and beliefs of what a good mother shape their beliefs and messages about PPD.ConclusionOur findings indicate that programme developers should consider family and community focused education and intervention efforts to help decrease stigma and increase understanding of PPD.

scholarly journals Dietary Supplement Use among U.S. Children by Family Income, Food Security Level, and Nutrition Assistance Program Participation Status in 2011–2014

Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinyoung Jun ◽  
Alexandra Cowan ◽  
Janet Tooze ◽  
Jaime Gahche ◽  
Johanna Dwyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Security Level ◽  
Program Participation ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

This analysis characterizes use of dietary supplements (DS) and motivations for DS use among U.S. children (≤18 years) by family income level, food security status, and federal nutrition assistance program participation using the 2011–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. About one-third (32%) of children used DS, mostly multivitamin-minerals (MVM; 24%). DS and MVM use were associated with higher family income and higher household food security level. DS use was lowest among children in households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP; 20%) and those participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC; 26%) compared to both income-eligible and income-ineligible nonparticipants. Most children who used DS took only one (83%) or two (12%) products; although children in low-income families took fewer products than those in higher income families. The most common motivations for DS and MVM use were to “improve (42% or 46%)” or “maintain (34 or 38%)” health, followed by “to supplement the diet (23 or 24%)” for DS or MVM, respectively. High-income children were more likely to use DS and MVM “to supplement the diet” than middle- or low-income children. Only 18% of child DS users took DS based on a health practitioner’s recommendation. In conclusion, DS use was lower among children who were in low-income or food-insecure families, or families participating in nutrition assistance programs.

scholarly journals Perceptions of the Food Environment and Access among Predominantly Black Low-Income Residents of Rural Louisiana Communities

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (15) ◽  
pp. 5340
Author(s):  
Denise Holston ◽  
Jessica Stroope ◽  
Matthew Greene ◽  
Bailey Houghtaling
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Food Environment ◽  
Food Access ◽  
The United States ◽  
Grocery Store ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

Food insecurity in rural settings is complex and not fully understood, especially from the perspective of low-income and Black residents. The goal of this study was to use qualitative methods to better understand experiences with food access and perceptions of the food environment among low-income, predominately Black rural Louisiana residents in the United States. Data were collected from focus group discussions (FGD) and focus group intake forms. Study participants were all rural residents eligible to receive at least one nutrition assistance program. FGD questions focused on perceptions of the food environment, with an emphasis on food access. Participants (n = 44) were predominately Black and female. Over half (n = 25) reported running out of food before the end of the month. Major themes included: store choice, outshopping, methods of acquiring foods other than the grocery store, and food insecurity. Concerns around price, quality, and transportation emerged as factors negatively impacting food security. Understanding residents’ perceptions and experiences is necessary to inform contextually appropriate and feasible policy and practice interventions that address the physical environment and social conditions that shape the broader physical food environment in order to achieve equitable food access and food security.

scholarly journals Who really counts in Iran’s National Food Assistance Program? Lessons from multi-stakeholder processes in the wicked policy area of food security

2022 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mona Pourghaderi ◽  
Nasrin Omidvar ◽  
Amirhossein Takian ◽  
Arlette Saint Ville ◽  
Hannaneh Mohammadi Kangarani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Security Policy ◽  
Food Assistance ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Nutrition Research ◽  
Food And Nutrition ◽  
Multi Stakeholder ◽  
Food Assistance Program

Abstract: Multi-stakeholder processes - as a necessary part in the development of public policies - can provide diverse perspectives to inform and to improve food security policy-making. Iran’s National Food Assistance Program (NFAP) is one of the major welfare programs in Iran that reduces food insecutiry to low-income households. This study aimed to identify and to categorize actual and potential stakeholders in NFAP using the stakeholder salience model. According to Mitchell’s theory, stakeholders’ attributes (power, legitimacy, and urgency) were assessed based on the nature of their interactions, roles, and level of engagement. Results revealed a number of significant but marginalized stakeholders, including Iranian Ministry of Health (office of community nutrition improvement), academia, center for food and nutrition research, target group, charities, and international organizations, who have not received any targeted organizational attention and priority to their claims. The unbalanced attention provided to some stakeholder groups characterized as “definitive” and “dominant” and ignoring some important ones will jeopardize long-term viability and undermine support for the program with inevitable declines in legitimacy. Understanding the change in the stakeholders’ characteristics is the main variable to determine the allocation of organizational resources in response to different and rising stakeholders’ demands and possibly the projects outcomes. This will facilitate and enhance the possibility of knowledge exchange and learning, and greater trust among stakeholders during the food and nutrition policy-making process.

scholarly journals Food insecurity among households with children during the COVID-19 pandemic: results from a study among social media users across the United States

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Niyati Parekh ◽  
Shahmir H. Ali ◽  
Joyce O’Connor ◽  
Yesim Tozan ◽  
Abbey M. Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
The United States ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Households With Children

Abstract Background In the United States, approximately 11% of households were food insecure prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study aims to describe the prevalence of food insecurity among adults and households with children living in the United States during the pandemic. Methods This study utilized social media as a recruitment platform to administer an original online survey on demographics and COVID-related food insecurity. The survey was disseminated through an advertisement campaign on Facebook and affiliated platforms. Food insecurity was assessed with a validated six-item United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Household Food Security Survey Module, which was used to create a six-point numerical food security score, where a higher score indicates lower food security. Individual-level participant demographic information was also collected. Logistic regressions (low/very-low compared with high/marginal food security) were performed to generate adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95%CIs for food insecurity and select demographic characteristics. Results Advertisements reached 250,701 individuals and resulted in 5,606 complete surveys. Overall, 14.7% of participants self-identified as having low or very low food security in their households, with higher prevalence (17.5%) among households with children. Unemployment (AOR:1.76, 95%CI:1.09–2.80), high school or lower education (AOR:2.25, 95%CI:1.29–3.90), and low income (AOR[$30,000-$50,000]:5.87, 95%CI:3.35–10.37; AOR[< $30,000]:10.61, 95%CI:5.50–20.80) were associated with higher odds of food insecurity in multivariable models among households with children (and the whole sample). Conclusions These data indicate exacerbation of food insecurity during the pandemic. The study will be instrumental in guiding additional research and time-sensitive interventions targeted towards vulnerable food insecure subgroups.

scholarly journals Regional differences in the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food sufficiency in California, April-July, 2020: Implications for food programs and policies

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Evelyn Blumenberg ◽  
Miriam Pinski ◽  
Lilly A. Nhan ◽  
May C. Wang
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Regional Differences ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Long Beach ◽  
Food Insufficiency ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
San Bernardino ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objective: To evaluate regional differences in factors associated with food insufficiency during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic among three major metropolitan regions in California, a state with historically low participation rates in the Supplementation Nutrition Assistance Program, the nation’s largest food assistance program. Design: Analysis of cross-sectional data from Phase 1 (April 23 – July 21, 2020) of the U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey, a weekly national online survey. Setting: California, and three Californian Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), including San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSAs. Participants: Adults aged 18 years and older living in households. Results: Among the three metropolitan areas, food insufficiency rates were lowest in the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley MSA. Measures of disadvantage (e.g. having low-income, being unemployed, recent loss of employment, and pre-pandemic food insufficiency) were widely associated with household food insufficiency. However, disadvantaged households in the San Francisco Bay Area, the area with the lowest poverty and unemployment rates, were more likely to be food insufficient compared to those in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSAs. Conclusions: Food insufficiency risk among disadvantaged households differed by region. To be effective, governmental response to food insufficiency must address the varied local circumstances that contribute to these disparities.

scholarly journals Effect of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program–Education (SNAP-Ed) on food security and dietary outcomes

2019 ◽  
Vol 77 (12) ◽  
pp. 903-921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca L Rivera ◽  
Melissa K Maulding ◽  
Heather A Eicher-Miller
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Low Income ◽  
The United States ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Nutrition Assistance ◽  
Study Designs

AbstractThe Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program–Education (SNAP-Ed) is the nutrition promotion component of SNAP, formerly known as food stamps. SNAP-Ed assists low-income populations in the United States improve dietary intake and reduce food insecurity through nutrition education. This narrative review summarizes current investigations of SNAP-Ed’s effectiveness at improving food security and dietary outcomes, and it can help inform future policy and implementation of the program. There was stronger evidence for SNAP-Ed as an effective means of improving food security (n = 4 reports) than for its effects on nutrition or dietary outcomes (n = 10 reports). Inconsistency in measurement tools and outcomes and a lack of strong study designs characterized the studies that sought to evaluate the effectiveness of SNAP-Ed at improving nutrition or dietary outcomes. Additional rigorous study designs in diverse population groups are needed to strengthen the evidence. In the face of reduced financial SNAP benefits, SNAP-Ed may play an important role in helping to eliminate food insecurity and improve dietary outcomes and, ultimately, the health of low-income Americans.

scholarly journals Exploring the association of urban or rural county status and environmental, nutrition- and lifestyle-related resources with the efficacy of SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education) to improve food security

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 957-966 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca L Rivera ◽  
Jennifer Dunne ◽  
Melissa K Maulding ◽  
Qi Wang ◽  
Dennis A Savaiano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Rural County ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Households With Children ◽  
Nutrition Assistance ◽  
Policy Systems

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the association of policy, systems and environmental factors with improvement in household food security among low-income Indiana households with children after a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) direct nutrition education intervention.DesignHousehold food security scores measured by the eighteen-item US Household Food Security Survey Module in a longitudinal randomized and controlled SNAP-Ed intervention study conducted from August 2013 to April 2015 were the response variable. Metrics to quantify environmental factors including classification of urban or rural county status; the number of SNAP-authorized stores, food pantries and recreational facilities; average fair market housing rental price; and natural amenity rank were collected from government websites and data sets covering the years 2012–2016 and used as covariates in mixed multiple linear regression modelling.SettingThirty-seven Indiana counties, USA, 2012–2016.SubjectsSNAP-Ed eligible adults from households with children (n328).ResultsNone of the environmental factors investigated were significantly associated with changes in household food security in this exploratory study.ConclusionsSNAP-Ed improves food security regardless of urban or rural location or the environmental factors investigated. Expansion of SNAP-Ed in rural areas may support food access among the low-income population and reduce the prevalence of food insecurity in rural compared with urban areas. Further investigation into policy, systems and environmental factors of the Social Ecological Model are warranted to better understand their relationship with direct SNAP-Ed and their impact on diet-related behaviours and food security.

Examining Factors Related to the Food Insecurity–Obesity Paradox in Low-Income Mothers and Fathers

2021 ◽  
pp. 037957212110111
Author(s):  
Emily A. Taylor ◽  
Jaime S. Foster ◽  
Amy R. Mobley
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Diet Quality ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Obesity Paradox ◽  
The United States ◽  
Gender Disparity ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
United States Department

Background: Prior research has indicated a varying relationship of food security and obesity risk between men and women yet factors affecting this relationship are unclear. Objective: The objective of this study was to examine factors related to the gender disparity in the food insecurity–obesity paradox within a sample of low-income parents. Methods: Low-income cohabiting mothers and father pairs (n = 25) living with their child were interviewed individually using the United States Department of Agriculture Household Food Security Module, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and Coping Strategies Index to examine gendered factors related to the food insecurity–obesity paradox. Results: There was a significant ( P = .003) difference in report of adults in the household sacrificing consumption to feed young children between mothers (2.91 ± 0.92) and fathers (3.59 ± 0.73), with mothers reporting greater sacrifice and compromised diet quality to feed their children, but no significant correlation among body mass index, depression, and food insecurity was detected. Conclusions: Food insecure mothers may be more likely to compromise their diet quality to feed their children than fathers. This could help explain why the food insecurity–obesity paradox is significant only in women, and this work gives insights into gender-based differential consequences of food insecurity.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document