Risk and Protective Factors for Adult and Child Hunger Among Low-Income Housed and Homeless Female-Headed Families

Wehler, Cheryl; Weinreb, Linda; Huntington, Nicholas; Scott, Richard Ira; Hosmer, David W.; Fletcher, Kenneth E.; Goldberg, Robert J.; Gundersen, Craig

doi:10.2105/ajph.94.1.109

Cited by 75 publications

(81 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…This is also implied by the screening procedures for subsidized housing in Toronto whereby housing authorities prioritize particularly disadvantaged households such as homeless people, youths, and families separated because of lack of housing, 43 and in previous US research with low-income femaleheaded households that found a positive association between receipt of housing subsidies and child hunger. 44 We endeavored to account for a selection effect by including potential sociodemographic confounders in our model and repeating the analysis including only those market households on a waiting list for subsidized housing. Although longitudinal data are needed to understand the impact of moving into subsidized housing on food security, the lower odds of food insecurity among families in subsidized housing compared to those on the waiting list implies that subsidies afford some advantage.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Housing Circumstances are Associated with Household Food Access among Low-Income Urban Families

2011

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Household food insecurity is a pervasive problem in North America with serious health consequences. While affordable housing has been cited as a potential policy approach to improve food insecurity, the relationship between conventional notions of housing affordability and household food security is not well understood. Furthermore, the influence of housing subsidies, a key policy intervention aimed at improving housing affordability in Western countries, on food insecurity is unclear. We undertook a cross-sectional survey of 473 families in market rental (n=222) and subsidized (n=251) housing in high-poverty urban neighborhoods to examine the influence of housing circumstances on household food security. Food insecurity, evident among two thirds of families, was inversely associated with income and after-shelter income. Food insecurity prevalence did not differ between families in market and subsidized housing, but families in subsidized housing had lower odds of food insecurity than those on a waiting list for such housing. Market families with housing costs that consumed more than 30% of their income had increased odds of food insecurity. Rent arrears were also positively associated with food insecurity. Compromises in housing quality were evident, perhaps reflecting the impact of financial constraints on multiple basic needs as well as conscious efforts to contain housing costs to free up resources for food and other needs. Our findings raise questions about current housing affordability norms and highlight the need for a review of housing interventions to ensure that they enable families to maintain adequate housing and obtain their other basic needs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Housing Circumstances are Associated with Household Food Access among Low-Income Urban Families

2011

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“…Previous studies on the effects of participation in food assistance programmes have resulted in inconsistent findings (19)(20)(21)23,25,28,29,40) . In the present cross-sectional study, the association between food insecurity and participation in food assistance programmes was weak and not statistically significant.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the present cross-sectional study, the association between food insecurity and participation in food assistance programmes was weak and not statistically significant. One reason could be that the research design was not able to control for self-selection of more food-needy households into the programme, leading to weakened effects of the programmes (19)(20)(21)29) . Several studies suggested that participation in programmes can be coincident with food insecurity rather than factors that contribute to or protect against food insecurity (21,50) .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors related to household food insecurity in the Republic of Korea

Kim

Shin

et al. 2011

Public Health Nutr.

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Objective: To examine the prevalence of food insecurity and to identify factors that contribute to it in the Republic of Korea. Design: A cross-sectional study. Setting: Data were selected from a secondary data set, the third Korean Welfare Panel Study. Household food insecurity was measured with a six-item Korean version of the US Household Food Security Survey Module. The differences in proportions or means of household characteristics, householder's characteristics, economic status and social benefits by food insecurity status were tested with the x 2 or t test. The independent associations of food insecurity with each characteristic were assessed with multivariate logistic regression analysis. Subjects: The sample size consisted of 6238 households. Results: The prevalence of food insecurity was 5?3 % among all households and 25?7 % among low-income households. Risk factors that were associated with a higher risk of food insecurity included living alone, unemployment, no job, low household income and living in a leased or rented home. For low-income households, living in a leased or rented home increased the risk of food insecurity. Among food-insecure households, 26?1 % of the full sample of households and 34?3 % of low-income households were participating in food assistance programmes. Conclusions: Food insecurity among the Korean population was related to household type, income, job status and housing. Food assistance programmes were not enough to completely alleviate food insecurity.

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“…26,27 In the limited existing examination of this issue, Melchior and colleagues 28 and Wehler and colleagues 29 found higher rates of IPV among female-headed families experiencing food insecurity compared to those not experiencing food insecurity. Similarly, more recent research on female-headed households indicates that childhood trauma and violence are also associated with experiencing very low food security during adulthood.…”

Section: Intimate Partner Violence and Maternal Depressionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…33 Other research has suggested that the quality and quantity of food purchases among food insecure households are based on the sense financial security. 34 However, Wehler and colleagues 29 propose that the managerial strategies used to avoid hunger (also including providing the necessary time and attention to the task of acquiring food) may be hampered among mothers who experience IPV, placing the entire household at risk for experiencing food insecurity. We propose that the experience of depression among victims of IPV may be a mechanism accounting for their apparent impaired ability to obtain adequate food, resulting in the household to experience food insecurity.…”

Section: Intimate Partner Violence and Maternal Depressionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal Depression Mediates the Association Between Intimate Partner Violence and Food Insecurity

Hernandez

Marshall

Mineo

2014

Journal of Women's Health

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Background: Examination of maternal experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) and depression as risk factors for food insecurity can provide a more nuanced understanding of the role that the family environment and women's health plays in the lives of families with young children that experience food insecurity. We investigated the longitudinal association between mothers' experiences of IPV and household food insecurity, and whether maternal depression mediated the relationship. Methods: IPV, depression, and food insecurity were assessed among 1,690 socioeconomically disadvantaged mothers of young children who participated in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study. Longitudinal multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the association between IPV measured 3 years after the child's birth and increase in food insecurity from child's third to fifth birthday, as well as the mediating role of maternal depression, controlling for a number of maternal and household characteristics. Results: Mothers who reside in food insecure households and those who experience IPV share similar characteristics of socioeconomic disadvantage and a greater propensity for depression compared to their counterparts. Mothers' experiences of IPV predicted an increased risk of household food insecurity two years later, and the relationship was mediated by maternal depression. Conclusions: Food insecure mothers may benefit from widespread assistance. Targeting issues central to women's health must become a priority in combating food insecurity. Having IPV and mental health screenings coincide with food assistance applications may help identify women who would benefit from resources designed to increase physical safety, psychological well-being, and food security.

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Risk and Protective Factors for Adult and Child Hunger Among Low-Income Housed and Homeless Female-Headed Families

Abstract: This study found that the odds of hunger, although affected by resource constraints in low-income female-headed families, were also worsened by mothers' poor physical and mental health. Eliminating hunger thus may require broader interventions than food programs.

Cited by 75 publications

References 35 publications

Housing Circumstances are Associated with Household Food Access among Low-Income Urban Families

Housing Circumstances are Associated with Household Food Access among Low-Income Urban Families

Factors related to household food insecurity in the Republic of Korea

Maternal Depression Mediates the Association Between Intimate Partner Violence and Food Insecurity

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