Pediatric Emergency Department-based Food Insecurity Screening During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Introduction: The emergency department (ED) is a safety net, caring for families who lack adequate access to food and other basic needs. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a dramatic rise in food insecurity (FI) nationally; however, little is known about the prevalence of FI among families seen in pediatr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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eScholarship Publishing, University of California
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Western Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| Online Access: | https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1x7296w1 |
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| _version_ | 1825201897577906176 |
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| author | Stephanie Ruest Lana Nguyen Celeste Corcoran Susan Duffy |
| author_facet | Stephanie Ruest Lana Nguyen Celeste Corcoran Susan Duffy |
| author_sort | Stephanie Ruest |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: The emergency department (ED) is a safety net, caring for families who lack adequate access to food and other basic needs. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a dramatic rise in food insecurity (FI) nationally; however, little is known about the prevalence of FI among families seen in pediatric EDs (PED). In this study we aimed to determine the prevalence of FI, as well as awareness and utilization of supplemental food services, among families seen in an urban PED during the COVID-19 pandemic using an electronic screening survey. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of families screened for FI in an urban PED. An electronic survey was advertised to all families via posters placed in patient rooms and other locations in the PED between February–October 2022. Surveys in English and Spanish were accessed on personal electronic devices via QR codes. Six validated US Department of Agriculture household food security questions and sociodemographic questions were included. We calculated respondents’ food security and performed descriptive and bivariate analyses of patient sociodemographics and responses to FI questions. Results: Of 42,697 PED visits, 612 surveys were completed and analyzed (1.4%). Nearly 50% of respondents identified as White and non-Hispanic, with approximately 80% female. Thirty percent had a household income of <$25,000 and 32% between $25,000–<50,000. Among survey respondents, 56.7% demonstrated FI: 25% with low food security, and 31.7% with very low food security. We identified statistically significant differences in awareness and use of supplemental food services by FI status, household income, and primary language spoken. Conclusions: Nearly 60% of survey participants in an urban pediatric ED during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced food insecurity, substantially higher than previous reports. These results support the ED’s contributory role in FI screening, particularly during times of a public health crisis, and highlights the need for targeted outreach in this setting. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4a112ab228974e7794560b63029893e6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1936-900X 1936-9018 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | eScholarship Publishing, University of California |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Western Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-4a112ab228974e7794560b63029893e62025-02-07T16:29:04ZengeScholarship Publishing, University of CaliforniaWestern Journal of Emergency Medicine1936-900X1936-90182024-11-0126112012810.5811/westjem.1948819488Pediatric Emergency Department-based Food Insecurity Screening During the COVID-19 PandemicStephanie Ruest0Lana Nguyen1Celeste Corcoran2Susan Duffy3Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Warren Alpert Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, Rhode IslandBrown University, Providence, Rhode IslandHasbro Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Providence, Rhode IslandHasbro Children’s Hospital, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Warren Alpert Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, Rhode IslandIntroduction: The emergency department (ED) is a safety net, caring for families who lack adequate access to food and other basic needs. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a dramatic rise in food insecurity (FI) nationally; however, little is known about the prevalence of FI among families seen in pediatric EDs (PED). In this study we aimed to determine the prevalence of FI, as well as awareness and utilization of supplemental food services, among families seen in an urban PED during the COVID-19 pandemic using an electronic screening survey. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of families screened for FI in an urban PED. An electronic survey was advertised to all families via posters placed in patient rooms and other locations in the PED between February–October 2022. Surveys in English and Spanish were accessed on personal electronic devices via QR codes. Six validated US Department of Agriculture household food security questions and sociodemographic questions were included. We calculated respondents’ food security and performed descriptive and bivariate analyses of patient sociodemographics and responses to FI questions. Results: Of 42,697 PED visits, 612 surveys were completed and analyzed (1.4%). Nearly 50% of respondents identified as White and non-Hispanic, with approximately 80% female. Thirty percent had a household income of <$25,000 and 32% between $25,000–<50,000. Among survey respondents, 56.7% demonstrated FI: 25% with low food security, and 31.7% with very low food security. We identified statistically significant differences in awareness and use of supplemental food services by FI status, household income, and primary language spoken. Conclusions: Nearly 60% of survey participants in an urban pediatric ED during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced food insecurity, substantially higher than previous reports. These results support the ED’s contributory role in FI screening, particularly during times of a public health crisis, and highlights the need for targeted outreach in this setting.https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1x7296w1 |
| spellingShingle | Stephanie Ruest Lana Nguyen Celeste Corcoran Susan Duffy Pediatric Emergency Department-based Food Insecurity Screening During the COVID-19 Pandemic Western Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| title | Pediatric Emergency Department-based Food Insecurity Screening During the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full | Pediatric Emergency Department-based Food Insecurity Screening During the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Pediatric Emergency Department-based Food Insecurity Screening During the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pediatric Emergency Department-based Food Insecurity Screening During the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_short | Pediatric Emergency Department-based Food Insecurity Screening During the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_sort | pediatric emergency department based food insecurity screening during the covid 19 pandemic |
| url | https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1x7296w1 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT stephanieruest pediatricemergencydepartmentbasedfoodinsecurityscreeningduringthecovid19pandemic AT lananguyen pediatricemergencydepartmentbasedfoodinsecurityscreeningduringthecovid19pandemic AT celestecorcoran pediatricemergencydepartmentbasedfoodinsecurityscreeningduringthecovid19pandemic AT susanduffy pediatricemergencydepartmentbasedfoodinsecurityscreeningduringthecovid19pandemic |