Perceived barriers in accessing food among recent Latin American immigrants in Toronto

Abstract

ObjectiveIn Canada, recent immigrant households experience more food insecurity than the general population, but limited information is available about the personal, cultural, and social factors that contribute to this vulnerability. This study focused on recent Latin American (LA) immigrants to explore their perceived barriers in acquiring safe, nutritious, and culturally-appropriate food.DesignA cross-sectional mixed-method design was applied to collect information from a convenience sample of 70 adult Spanish/Portuguese speakers who had arrived in Toronto within the last five years. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with primary household caregivers to obtain responses about barriers to acquiring food for their households; data were analyzed using a thematic analysis technique.ResultsFour main categories of barriers were identified: limited financial resources; language difficulty; cultural food preferences; and poor knowledge of available community-based food resources and services. Inadequate income was the main impediment in accessing adequate food, and was related to affordability of food items, accessibility of food outlets and transportation cost, and limited time for grocery shopping due to work conditions. Language barriers affected participants’ ability to obtain well-paid employment and their awareness about and access to available community-based food resources. Cultural barriers were related to food preferences and limited access to culturally-appropriate foods and resources.ConclusionThe main barrier to food security among our sample of LA newcomers to Toronto is limited financial resources, highlighting the need for policies and strategies that could improve their financial power to purchase sufficient, nutritious, and culturally-acceptable food. Linguistic barriers and limited information among newcomers suggest the need to provide linguistically- and culturally-appropriate information related to community-based food programs and resources, as well as accessible subsidized English language programs, in the community and at workplaces. Participatory community-based food programs can augment, in a socially acceptable manner, food resources and reduce the social stigma attached to food charity. Finally, it is crucial to monitor and evaluate existing social and community-based services for their accessibility, cultural appropriateness and diversity, and effectiveness.

Having Enough Cultural Food? A Qualitative Exploration of the Experiences of Migrants in a Regional Area of Australia

“…Poor level of English language ability is one of the barriers that have been identified in previous studies as having an impact on migrants' ability to access food in an English speaking country (Vahabi & Damba, 2013). However, it was not a major concern for migrants in this study.…”

“…Lack of English language skills has been reported in the literature as a reason migrants have difficulty in accessing food (Vahabi & Damba, 2013). Interestingly, most of the interview participants reported they had no problem in communicating and understanding English but the importance of the English language related to the understanding of food information written in English.…”

“…Barriers that influence the food security of migrants have been identified in a number of studies and include: the language barrier, length of stay in the host country, socioeconomic status, geographical location and cultural factors (Carter, Lanumata, Kruse, & Gorton, 2010;Hadley, Zodhiates, & Sellen, 2007;Tsang, Ndung'U, Coveney, & O'Dwyer, 2007;Vahabi & Damba, 2013). The first barrier (language and communication) can be an issue for non-English speakers settled in an English speaking country (Vahabi & Damba, 2013).…”

“…The first barrier (language and communication) can be an issue for non-English speakers settled in an English speaking country (Vahabi & Damba, 2013). Communication is a challenge and language differences may hinder individuals from accessing food related information and services in the community.…”

Food Safety and Food Access: A Pilot Study

“…Many studies have demonstrated that food access differs in many countries, including Canada and the US by ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES) with the lowest access reported in low-income, urban minority neighborhoods and American Indian communities (Lewis et al 2005;Powell et al, 2007a;Larson et al, 2009;Cerin et al, 2011;O'Connell et al, 2011;Fuller et al, 2013;Vahabi & Damba, 2013) and among food stamp recipients (Oberholser & Tuttle 2004;D'Angelo et al 2011). These factors may differ in terms of importance in different cities and countries (Boone-Heinonen et al, 2011).…”