Rural food insecurity in the United States as an overlooked site of struggle in health communication

This article indicates the need for health communication scholars to attend to the growing national problem of rural food insecurity. A review of the health communication literature reveals that food insecurity and rural health overall are research issues that have been overlooked. Using the Culture-Centered Approach ( Dutta, 2008 ), while simultaneously searching for community assets as well as problems, we explore aspects of rural residents' food environments, culture, and institutional structures that empower and constrain their communities. Twelve focus groups (n = 86), segmented by race/ethnicity, were conducted in rural central Texas. Results were analyzed using grounded theory methodology. Our findings outline problems and personal obstacles described by participants, as well as creative solutions and coping mechanisms illustrative of individual agency and social capital inherent in their rural culture. We conclude by providing suggestions for future research that will aid health communication scholars to further the conversation on rural food insecurity.