Journal article
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Access and Racial Disparities in Food Insecurity
JAMA network open, Vol.6(6), pp.e2320196-e2320196
06/01/2023
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.20196
PMCID: PMC10293911
PMID: 37358853
Abstract
Racially minoritized people experience disproportionately high rates of food insecurity. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) reduces food insecurity.
To evaluate SNAP access with regard to racial disparities in food insecurity.
This cross-sectional study used data from the 2018 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). On the basis of random sampling strategies, 44 870 households were eligible for the SIPP, and 26 215 (58.4%) participated. Sampling weights accounted for survey design and nonresponse. Data were analyzed from February 25 to December 12, 2022.
This study examined disparities based on household racial composition (entirely Asian, entirely Black, entirely White, and multiple races or multirace based on SIPP categories).
Food insecurity during the prior year was measured using the validated 6-item US Department of Agriculture Food Security Survey Module. SNAP participation during the prior year was classified based on whether anyone in the household received SNAP benefits. Modified Poisson regression tested hypothesized disparities in food insecurity.
A total of 4974 households that were eligible for SNAP (income ≤130% of the poverty threshold) were included in this study. A total of 218 households (5%) were entirely Asian, 1014 (22%) were entirely Black, 3313 (65%) were entirely White, and 429 (8%) were multiracial or of other racial groups. Adjusting for household characteristics, households that were entirely Black (prevalence rate [PR], 1.18; 95% CI, 1.04-1.33) or multiracial (PR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.06-1.46) were more likely to be food insecure than entirely White households, but associations differed depending on SNAP participation. Among households that did not participate in SNAP, those that were entirely Black (PR, 1.52; 97.5% CI, 1.20-1.93) or multiracial (PR, 1.42; 97.5% CI, 1.04-1.94) were more likely to be food insecure than White households; however, among SNAP participants, Black households were less likely than White households to be food insecure (PR, 0.84; 97.5% CI, 0.71-0.99).
In this cross-sectional study, racial disparities in food insecurity were found among low-income households that do not participate in SNAP but not among those that do, suggesting that access to SNAP should be improved. These results also highlight the need to examine the structural and systemic racism in food systems and in access to food assistance that may contribute to disparities.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Access and Racial Disparities in Food Insecurity
- Creators
- Laura J Samuel - Johns Hopkins UniversityDeidra C Crews - Johns Hopkins UniversityBonnielin K Swenor - Johns Hopkins UniversityJiafeng Zhu - Johns Hopkins UniversityElizabeth A Stuart - Johns Hopkins UniversitySarah L Szanton - Johns Hopkins UniversityBoeun Kim - Johns Hopkins UniversityPallavi Dwivedi - Johns Hopkins UniversityQiwei Li - Johns Hopkins UniversityNicholas S Reed - Johns Hopkins UniversityRoland J Thorpe Jr - Johns Hopkins University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- JAMA network open, Vol.6(6), pp.e2320196-e2320196
- DOI
- 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.20196
- PMID
- 37358853
- PMCID
- PMC10293911
- NLM abbreviation
- JAMA Netw Open
- ISSN
- 2574-3805
- eISSN
- 2574-3805
- Grant note
- DP1 AG069874 / NIA NIH HHS K02 AG059140 / NIA NIH HHS K24 HL148181 / NHLBI NIH HHS K23 AG065443 / NIA NIH HHS K01 AG054751 / NIA NIH HHS U54 MD000214 / NIMHD NIH HHS
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/01/2023
- Academic Unit
- Nursing
- Record Identifier
- 9984701724502771
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