ABSTRACT
IMPORTANCE: Food insecurity is associated with adverse health outcomes and the emergency department may be an ideal location to identify food insecure children and families. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of food insecurity in families with children that present to an urban pediatric emergency department (ED) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of caregivers of children 0-18 years between June and August, 2013. The questionnaire included 2 validated statements about food insecurity and demographic and community resource questions. Participant rooms were approached during predefined shifts in an order determined by random number generation. OUTCOMES: The primary outcome was the prevalence of caregivers who identified as food insecure. A secondary outcome was the percentage of food insecure caregivers who accessed community resources. RESULTS: We enrolled 309 caregivers; 141 (45.6%) reported food insecurity. Nearly 60% (56.8%) of nonwhite caregivers were food insecure compared to 27.4% of non-Hispanic white caregivers (P < 0.0001). Among caregivers who identified as food insecure, 82% reported using at least 1 community resource for food. CONCLUSIONS: Almost half of caregivers presenting to the ED reported food insecurity. The ED is an excellent location for targeted intervention to identify and link food insecure families with community resources.
