ABSTRACT
Food security is an important social determinant of health. The 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 2.2 reported high prevalence of food insecurity among low income households and those formed by recent immigrants. Exploration of the extent and correlates of food insecurity among recent Latin Americans (LA) immigrants is essential considering they encompasses an increasing number of young immigrants, many of whom, despite relatively high education, are unemployed or have low wage positions. This study examines the extent of food insecurity and its correlates among recent Latin American (LA) immigrants in Toronto. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 70 adult LA recent immigrants. Participants were recruited from selected community health centres across Toronto using snow ball sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires in face-to-face interviews with primary household care givers. A considerably high rate of food insecurity (56%) was found among participants. Household food insecurity was highly related to: being on social assistance; limited proficiency in English; and the use of foodbanks. Our findings indicate that the primary correlate of a household's food security status is income, which suggests the potential for strategies to improve the financial power of new immigrants to purchase sufficient, nutritious, and culturally acceptable food. Enhancing the employability of new immigrants, reforming the income structure for working adults beyond social assistance, and providing more subsidized English language and housing programs may be effective.
Subject(s)
Emigrants and Immigrants , Food Supply , Adult , Female , Humans , Interviews as Topic , Latin America/ethnology , Male , Middle Aged , Ontario , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJETIVO: Adaptar y validar en hogares de Antioquia, Colombia, una escala de seguridad alimentaria anteriormente aplicada en hogares de Caracas, Venezuela. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: El estudio se realizó en 44 municipios del departamento de Antioquia, Colombia, durante los años 2003 y 2004, en una muestra representativa de los hogares rurales y urbanos del departamento de Antioquia, constituida por 1 624 hogares con niños menores de 10 años; los hogares fueron seleccionados de manera aleatoria, con un índice de confianza de 95 por ciento y un error de 3 por ciento. Se validó la escala de seguridad alimentaria doméstica utilizada por Paulina Lorenzana en Venezuela, y se determinó la consistencia interna de la escala mediante el coeficiente de correlación de Spearman y el coeficiente alfa de Cronbach. La validez del constructo se estableció mediante el método de componentes principales para datos categóricos. Se utilizaron el procedimiento de Prinqual y el modelo de Rasch para definir los componentes y los ítems de la escala. RESULTADOS: El análisis factorial arrojó dos componentes: 1) las variables relacionadas con "inseguridad alimentaria sin hambre" que lo explican en 95 por ciento y 2) las relacionadas con "inseguridad alimentaria con hambre" que lo explican en 89.4 por ciento. El coeficiente alfa de Cronbach para el primer componente fue de de 0.95 y para el segundo de 0.89. Al ser analizados con el modelo Rasch, todos los ítems presentaron valores infit en un rango de 0.8 a 1.2. La escala se correlacionó significativamente con la disponibilidad de alimentos, el recurso de la limosna, el trabajo infantil, el tamaño del hogar y la ocupación del jefe de familia (p< 0.000). CONCLUSION: La escala puede considerarse un instrumento confiable para la valoración de la inseguridad alimentaria en los hogares de Antioquia.
OBJETIVE: To adapt and validate in households of Antioquia, Colombia, a food security scale previously applied in households of Caracas, Venezuela. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was carried out in 44 municipalities in the department of Antioquia, Colombia, in 2003 and 2004, with a randomly selected sample of 1 624 rural and urban households with children under 10 years of age, representative for family units located in the department of Antioquia. The sample was selected using a confidence interval of 95 percent and an error of 3 percent. Household food security scale previously used by Paulina Lorenzana in Venezuela were validated for this survey. Internal consistency of the scale was determined using the Spearman correlation coefficient and Cronbach's Alpha coefficient. Construct validity was established through principal components analysis for categorical data. Prinqual procedure and Rasch modeling were used to define the components and items in the scale. RESULTS: Factor analysis showed two components: 1) variables related to "food insecurity without hunger", which is explained in 95 percent; 2) variables related to "food insecurity with hunger", which is explained in 89.4 percent. Cronbach's Alpha coefficients for "food insecurity without hunger" and "food insecurity with hunger" were 0.95 and 0.89, respectively. When analyzed using Rasch modeling, all items showed infit values within a range of 0.8 and 1.2. The scale correlated significantly (p<0.000) with food availability, begging, children's labor, household size, and occupation of the head of household. CONCLUSIONS: The scale can be considered a reliable instrument for assessing food insecurity in Antioquia households.
Subject(s)
Adult , Child , Humans , Family Characteristics , Food Supply , Hunger , Poverty , Colombia , Confidence Intervals , Data Interpretation, Statistical , Occupations , Rural Population , Urban Population , World Health OrganizationABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To adapt and validate in households of Antioquia, Colombia, a food security scale previously applied in households of Caracas, Venezuela. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was carried out in 44 municipalities in the department of Antioquia, Colombia, in 2003 and 2004, with a randomly selected sample of 1 624 rural and urban households with children under 10 years of age, representative for family units located in the department of Antioquia. The sample was selected using a confidence interval of 95% and an error of 3%. Household food security scale previously used by Paulina Lorenzana in Venezuela were validated for this survey. Internal consistency of the scale was determined using the Spearman correlation coefficient and Cronbach's Alpha coefficient. Construct validity was established through principal components analysis for categorical data. Prinqual procedure and Rasch modeling were used to define the components and items in the scale. RESULTS: Factor analysis showed two components: 1) variables related to "food insecurity without hunger", which is explained in 95%; 2) variables related to "food insecurity with hunger", which is explained in 89.4%. Cronbach's Alpha coefficients for "food insecurity without hunger" and "food insecurity with hunger" were 0.95 and 0.89, respectively. When analyzed using Rasch modeling, all items showed infit values within a range of 0.8 and 1.2. The scale correlated significantly (p < 0.000) with food availability, begging, children's labor, household size, and occupation of the head of household. CONCLUSION: The scale can be considered a reliable instrument for assessing food insecurity in Antioquia households.
