Identifying Areas of High Vulnerability for Rural Veteran Food Insecurity

Introduction/Objectives: Americans, including veterans, living in rural areas experience higher rates of food insecurity than the general population in the United States, but rural veteran food insecurity remains an understudied subject. Due to a lack of data on the subject, this project aimed to us...

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Main Authors: Sarah E. Bradley, Jacquelyn Heuer, Bridget Hahm, Kristin Pettey, Karen Besterman-Dahan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2024-11-01
Series:Journal of Primary Care & Community Health
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319241277411
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author Sarah E. Bradley
Jacquelyn Heuer
Bridget Hahm
Kristin Pettey
Karen Besterman-Dahan
author_facet Sarah E. Bradley
Jacquelyn Heuer
Bridget Hahm
Kristin Pettey
Karen Besterman-Dahan
author_sort Sarah E. Bradley
collection DOAJ
description Introduction/Objectives: Americans, including veterans, living in rural areas experience higher rates of food insecurity than the general population in the United States, but rural veteran food insecurity remains an understudied subject. Due to a lack of data on the subject, this project aimed to use geographic information systems (GIS) mapping of proxy variables for rural veteran food insecurity in order to identify areas of high vulnerability where future research could be targeted. Methods: Key factors which may indicate vulnerability to rural veteran food insecurity were identified in a review of the literature. These factors were mapped in ArcGIS Pro, including veteran population, community health, county rurality, and locations of food deserts. Results: After areas were identified that met search criteria, 3 sites were identified which serve a highly rural patient population and whose population has the highest vulnerability to rural veteran food insecurity based on search criteria. Conclusions: This project demonstrates how GIS mapping can be used to identify regions in the United States at high vulnerability for rural veteran food insecurity. Findings from this project will be used by the project team to develop interventions for rural veteran food insecurity which can be implemented at the local or national level.
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spelling doaj-art-e0f774723b784558827fc376845f23802025-08-20T02:03:15ZengSAGE PublishingJournal of Primary Care & Community Health2150-13272024-11-011510.1177/21501319241277411Identifying Areas of High Vulnerability for Rural Veteran Food InsecuritySarah E. Bradley0Jacquelyn Heuer1Bridget Hahm2Kristin Pettey3Karen Besterman-Dahan4VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USAVA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT, USAEdward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL, USAVeterans Rural Health Resource Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USAVISN 5 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Baltimore, MD, USAIntroduction/Objectives: Americans, including veterans, living in rural areas experience higher rates of food insecurity than the general population in the United States, but rural veteran food insecurity remains an understudied subject. Due to a lack of data on the subject, this project aimed to use geographic information systems (GIS) mapping of proxy variables for rural veteran food insecurity in order to identify areas of high vulnerability where future research could be targeted. Methods: Key factors which may indicate vulnerability to rural veteran food insecurity were identified in a review of the literature. These factors were mapped in ArcGIS Pro, including veteran population, community health, county rurality, and locations of food deserts. Results: After areas were identified that met search criteria, 3 sites were identified which serve a highly rural patient population and whose population has the highest vulnerability to rural veteran food insecurity based on search criteria. Conclusions: This project demonstrates how GIS mapping can be used to identify regions in the United States at high vulnerability for rural veteran food insecurity. Findings from this project will be used by the project team to develop interventions for rural veteran food insecurity which can be implemented at the local or national level.https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319241277411
spellingShingle Sarah E. Bradley
Jacquelyn Heuer
Bridget Hahm
Kristin Pettey
Karen Besterman-Dahan
Identifying Areas of High Vulnerability for Rural Veteran Food Insecurity
Journal of Primary Care & Community Health
title Identifying Areas of High Vulnerability for Rural Veteran Food Insecurity
title_full Identifying Areas of High Vulnerability for Rural Veteran Food Insecurity
title_fullStr Identifying Areas of High Vulnerability for Rural Veteran Food Insecurity
title_full_unstemmed Identifying Areas of High Vulnerability for Rural Veteran Food Insecurity
title_short Identifying Areas of High Vulnerability for Rural Veteran Food Insecurity
title_sort identifying areas of high vulnerability for rural veteran food insecurity
url https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319241277411
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