Factors Associated with Continued Food Insecurity among Households Recovering from Hurricane Katrina
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2018-08-03
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Clay, Lauren A., Mia A. Papas, Kimberly B. Gill, and David M. Abramson. 2018. "Factors Associated with Continued Food Insecurity among Households Recovering from Hurricane Katrina" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 15, no. 8: 1647. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15081647
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Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
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Abstract
In 2010, 14.5% of US households experienced food insecurity, which adversely impacts
health. Some groups are at increased risk for food insecurity, such as female-headed households,
and those same groups are often also at increased risk for disaster exposure and the negative
consequences that come with exposure. Little research has been done on food insecurity post-disaster.
The present study investigates long-term food insecurity among households heavily impacted by
Hurricane Katrina. A sample of 683 households participating in the Gulf Coast Child and Family
Health Study were examined using a generalized estimation model to determine protective and
risk factors for food insecurity during long-term recovery. Higher income (Odds Ratio (OR) 0.84,
95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.77, 0.91), having a partner (OR 0.93; 95% CI 0.89, 0.97), or “other”
race were found to be protective against food insecurity over a five-year period following disaster
exposure. Low social support (OR 1.14; 95% CI 1.08, 1.20), poor physical health (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.03,
1.13) or mental health (OR 1.13; 95% CI 1.09, 1.18), and female sex (OR 1.05; 95% CI 1.01, 1.10) were
risk factors. Policies and programs that increase access to food supplies among high-risk groups are
needed to reduce the negative health impacts of disasters.