TITLE:
Food Insecurity in US Families with Children with Limiting Health Conditions
AUTHORS:
Lea Anne DeRigne, Linda Quinn, Patricia Stoddard-Dare, Christopher Mallett
KEYWORDS:
Child Health Financing, Disabilities
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.6 No.18,
October
16,
2014
ABSTRACT: Food insecurity in US households with children with limiting health conditions was compared to households with children without limiting health conditions, controlling for demographic variables. Multivariable logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratios. Data from the 2008-2011 Making Connections Survey (N = 1940) of households with children in seven high poverty communities in the US were used. Having a child with a limiting health condition made a household’s odds 1.41 times (95% C.I., 1.110, 1.790) more likely to be food insecure. When there are two or more children with limiting conditions in the household, the odds of food insecurity are 1.67 times (95% CI, 1.16, 2.40), higher than a family with no children with a disabling health condition. Families with children with limiting health conditions in high poverty communities are especially at risk of experiencing food insecurity, which can complicate health conditions. Nutrition assistance programs are vital to keep children and families food secure.