Household food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with anxiety and depression among US- and foreign-born adults: Findings from a nationwide survey.
J Affect Disord
; 336: 126-132, 2023 09 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2328294
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant disruptions to household food security with as many as 10.5 % of US households experiencing food insecurity during 2020. Food insecurity is associated with psychological distress including depression and anxiety. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has analyzed the association between COVID-19 food insecurity and poor mental health outcomes by place of birth. The Understanding the Impact of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Social Distancing on Physical and Psychosocial (Mental) Health and Chronic Diseases national survey assessed the physical and psychosocial effects of social and physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic among a diverse population of US- and foreign-born adults. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between place of birth and food security status and anxiety (N = 4817) and depression (N = 4848) among US- and foreign-born individuals. Stratified models subsequently analyzed the associations between food security and poor mental health among US- and foreign-born populations separately. Model controls included sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors. Low and very low household food security were associated with greater odds of both anxiety (low odds ratio (OR) [95 % confidence interval (CI)] = 2.07 [1.42-3.03]; very low OR [95 % CI] = 3.35 [2.15-5.21]) and depression (low OR [95 % CI] = 1.92 [1.33-2.78]; very low OR [95 % CI] = 2.36 [1.52-3.65]). However, this relationship was attenuated among foreign-born individuals compared to US-born individuals in the stratified models. All models found a dose-response relationship between increasing levels of food insecurity and anxiety and depressive symptoms. Further research is needed to explore the factors that attenuated the relationship between food insecurity and poor mental health among foreign-born individuals.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Depression
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Qualitative research
Limits:
Adult
/
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
J Affect Disord
Year:
2023
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
J.jad.2023.05.081
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