Nurses in the Fight to End Food Insecurity: An Integrative Review.

Area of Science:

• Public Health Nursing
• Health Disparities Research
• Community Health Interventions

Background:

• Nurses are essential healthcare professionals addressing social and environmental health needs.
• Food insecurity is a significant global issue, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations and increasing mortality/morbidity.
• Limited literature exists on nurse involvement in food insecurity research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically synthesize and critically analyze nurse-involved studies on food insecurity.
• To identify key interventions and outcomes across various healthcare and community settings.
• To understand the multifaceted roles nurses play in addressing food insecurity.

Main Methods:

• Systematic search of multiple databases (Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, MEDLINE, etc.) from inception to December 2023.
• Keywords and controlled vocabulary related to food insecurity and nursing were used.
• Evidence quality assessed using Olsen and Baisch scoring; nurse contributions (researcher, clinician, author) were recorded.

Main Results:

• Fifty-three articles met inclusion criteria, encompassing diverse study designs (RCT, qualitative, mixed-methods, etc.).
• The mean evidence quality score was 9.1, indicating reasonable rigor.
• Four emergent themes: health outcomes, health behaviors, capacity building, and belonging; nurses contributed to alleviating food insecurity and improving well-being.

Conclusions:

• Positive changes in food insecurity and health outcomes (including mental health) were observed.
• Nurses significantly contribute to the science of food insecurity as researchers, clinicians, and authors.
• This review enhances understanding of food insecurity alleviation methods and nurses' impact on health, behaviors, capacity, and belonging.