Food Insecurity in US Surgical Patients: Findings From the National Health Interview Survey.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Surgical Patient Outcomes
• Nutrition Security

Background:

• Food insecurity, uncertain access to adequate food, is a growing concern in the US.
• While its link to chronic diseases is known, its impact on surgical patients is understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of food insecurity among surgical patients.
• To identify characteristics associated with food insecurity in this group.
• To measure Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollment rates in surgical patients.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study using 2011-2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data.
• Analysis of 254,283 individuals, comparing surgical and non-surgical cohorts.
• Multivariable logistic regression to assess associations between surgery, food insecurity, and SNAP enrollment.

Main Results:

• Surgical patients had a higher prevalence of food insecurity (11.6%) compared to non-surgical patients (10.5%).
• Food insecurity in surgical patients was associated with lower income and poorer health.
• SNAP enrollment was higher among low-income surgical patients, linked to demographic and socioeconomic factors.

Conclusions:

• Food insecurity presents a significant challenge for surgical patients.
• Implementing food insecurity screening and interventions can enhance food access and health outcomes for this population.