Between Two Worlds: Challenges Measuring Food Insecurity with a Standardized Scale in a Multiethnic Peri-Urban...

Globally, household food security is commonly measured using standardized instruments emphasizing food access. Many such instruments, including the one used in Brazil (Escala Brasileira de Insegurança Alimentar - EBIA), are derived from the US Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM). However, the use of such instruments among non-Western populations has been questioned. Our goal was to understand how Indigenous residents of Parque das Tribos, a multiethnic community in Manaus, Brazil, perceived the EBIA's ability to capture their food security experiences. To achieve this, we conducted focus group discussions (FGDs). Results indicate frustration with the instrument's language which impeded understanding and generated feelings of inadequacy and distrust. Participants indicated the EBIA did not adequately capture their challenges accessing food and, thus, miscalculated community food insecurity. These findings support previous research arguing for adapting standardized food security instruments to local contexts while preserving the ability to compare findings across settings.