Food Insecurity Is an Independent Risk Factor for Depressive Symptoms in Survivors of Digestive Cancers

Abstract

Background: Colorectal and other digestive cancer survivors are at increased risk of depression, which can negatively affect health outcomes. Food insecurity (FI), the lack of consistent access to enough food, can also contribute to these health complications. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between FI and depressive symptoms within this population.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from the 2007-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We included all adults (≥20 years) with a self-reported history of a digestive cancer (including colorectal, esophageal, stomach, liver, and pancreas cancer). Our primary exposure was household FI, and our outcome of interest was depressive symptoms, as measured by the validated 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire. We used multivariable ordinal logistic regression to test the association between FI and depressive symptoms, controlling for demographic and clinical covariates.

Results: We included 229 adult digestive cancer survivors (weighted N = 1,510,579). The majority of the study sample was female and non-Hispanic White with mean of 11.0 years since cancer diagnosis; 14.3% reported FI. In multivariable models controlling for demographic and clinical covariates, we found that food insecure digestive cancer survivors had significantly higher odds of depressive symptoms than food secure digestive cancer survivors (OR: 3.25; 95% confidence interval: 1.24-8.55; P = 0.02).

Conclusions: Among a nationally representative sample of colorectal cancer and other digestive cancer survivors, FI was associated with increased odds of depressive symptoms.

Impact: This study adds further evidence to the negative impact FI may have on survivors' physical and mental health.