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Title: HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY AND SELF REPORTED CHILD HEALTH STATUS

Author
item CASEY, PATRICK - ACHRI
item SZETO, KITTY - ACHRI
item GOSSETT, JEFFREY - ACHRI - DAC
item ROBBINS, JAMES - ACHRI
item SIMPSON, PIPPA - ACHRI - DAC
item STUFF, JANICE - BAYLOR COLLEGE MED, CNRC
item CONNELL, CAROL - UNIV SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI

Submitted to: Pediatric Research
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/1/2003
Publication Date: 5/3/2003
Citation: Casey, P.H., Szeto, K.L., Gossett, J.M., Robbins, J.M., Simpson, P.M., Stuff, J., Connell, C. 2003. Household food security and self reported child health status [abstract]. Pediatric Research. 53(4):205A.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: BACKGROUND: Household food insecurity (FI) reflects adequacy and stability of food supply in the house. In preliminary work, FI has been associated with poorer child health and more problems in child development and behavior in preliminary work. These associations are confounded by demographic variables. OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of household FI with self reported child health, controlling for demographic variables, in a high risk sample. DESIGN/METHODS: A random digit dial telephone survey conducted January - June, 2000. The final sample included 1751 adults and 485 children representing residents of 36 counties along the Mississippi river in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, some of the most impoverished counties in the US. Measures included the USDA 18 Item Household Core Food Security Module and the PEDS QL (self reported 9-17 years of age, and parent reported 3-8 years of age), a measure of physical and psycho-emotional functioning. RESULTS: Children in FI households (N=108) scored significantly lower on the total health status scale (80.0 vs. 84.2, p<0.007), as well as lower on the physical (86.7 vs. 90.7, p<0.008) and psychosocial (76.4 vs. 80.8, p<0.015) functioning subscales when compared to children in food secure households (N=314). Children aged 3-8 in FI households scored significantly lower on physical functioning (88.6 vs. 94.5, p<0.002), while the children aged 12-17 scored lower on psychosocial functioning (77.6 vs. 82.0, p<0.011). In regression models controlling for child age and sex, and family income, FI was associated with the physical functioning (p<0.024) and psychosocial functioning (p<0.019) subscales and the total health status score (p<0.013). CONCLUSIONS: Food insecurity is associated with lower self reported health status, including physical and psychosocial functioning, in this high risk population, independent of demographic variables. Supported by ARS/USDA Project #6251-53000-003-00D.