Assessing Food Insecurity in Primary Care: A Comparison Between an Internal Medicine- and a Student-Run Clinic

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Social Determinants of Health
• Primary Care

Background:

• Food insecurity is a growing public health issue in the United States, disproportionately impacting uninsured, low-income, and minority populations.
• It is linked to adverse health outcomes, including poor glycemic control, mental health issues, and cardiovascular disease.
• Physicians often do not screen for social determinants of health, such as food insecurity, despite its recognized significance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prevalence of household food insecurity among patients at primary care clinics.
• To identify sociodemographic factors associated with food security status.
• To highlight the need for standardized screening protocols for food insecurity in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 209 patients was conducted from June to August 2021 at two primary care clinics.
• The US Department of Agriculture's Household Food Security Survey (Spanish and English versions) was utilized.
• Chi-squared tests analyzed variations in food security by sex, age, language, presence of children, insurance status, and clinic site.

Main Results:

• 23.4% of the 209 participants reported food insecurity.
• Insurance status (P = 0.01) and clinic site were statistically significant factors associated with food security.
• Uninsured patients (65.2% food secure) and those at the student-run Equal Access Clinic (14.5% severe food insecurity) showed higher rates.

Conclusions:

• Food insecurity is prevalent in primary care settings, particularly in student-run clinics.
• Gaps exist in standardized screening for food security, emphasizing the need for increased physician awareness and sensitivity.
• Addressing food insecurity through early intervention can lead to significant health benefits for patients.