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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2021 Jan 21;31(1):159-164.
doi: 10.18865/ed.31.1.159. eCollection 2021 Winter.

Examination of Food Insecurity, Socio-Demographic, Psychosocial, and Physical Factors among Residents in Public Housing

Lisa M Quintiliani  1 , Jessica A Whiteley  2 , Jessica Zhu  3 , Emily K Quinn  4 , Jennifer Murillo  3 , Ramona Lara  3 , John Kane  5
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Examination of Food Insecurity, Socio-Demographic, Psychosocial, and Physical Factors among Residents in Public Housing

Lisa M Quintiliani et al. Ethn Dis. .

Abstract

Objectives: Understanding associations between psychosocial and physical factors among those who experience food insecurity could help design effective food insecurity programs for improved cardiovascular health among low-income populations. We examined differences in psychosocial and physical factors between those who were food secure compared with food insecure among public housing residents.

Methods: Data were from the baseline survey of a randomized controlled trial of a weight management intervention in Boston, Massachusetts from 2016-2017. Food insecurity and psychosocial and physical factors, including perceived stress, personal problems, social support, and physical symptoms, were measured via interviewer-administered screeners.

Results: Mean age of the sample (N=102) was 46.5 years (SD=11.9). The majority were Hispanic (67%), female (88%), with ≤high school degree (62%). Nearly half were food insecure (48%). For psychosocial variables, those who were food insecure had higher ratings of perceived stress (adjusted mean difference 3.39, 95% CI:2.00,4.79), a higher number of personal problems (adjusted mean difference 1.85, 95% CI: 1.19, 2.51), and lower social support (adjusted mean difference -0.70, 95% CI:-1.30,-0.11) compared with those who were food secure. For physical variables, those who were food insecure had higher odds of reporting negative physical symptoms (aOR 4.92, 95% CI:1.84,13.16).

Conclusion: Among this sample of public housing residents, food insecurity was associated with higher stress, more personal problems, higher experiences of physical symptoms, and lower social support.

Keywords: Food Insecurity; Public Housing; Risk Factors.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: None declared.

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