Trajectories of food insecurity for low wage workers from 2018 to 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic made many U.S. households susceptible to food insecurity and sparked a temporary expansion of federal food assistance. Recognizing that the effects of the pandemic on food insecurity were socially patterned and changed over time, this study aimed to identify different food insecurity trajectories from 2018 to 2022 and demographic/household factors associated with these trajectories in a low-income sample. We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a longitudinal annual survey (2018-2022) of 414 low-wage workers recruited in community settings in two U.S. cities: Raleigh, NC, and Minneapolis, MN. Annual survey measures included the 6-Item Food Security Module, self-reported demographics, and household economic factors including housing stability, employment, and receipt of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Latent class analysis identified underlying classes (trajectories) of food security over time and assigned participants to a trajectory. Multinomial logistic regression models tested the association between demographic/household factors and trajectory membership. Food insecurity was high at baseline (72.7%). Latent class analysis yielded five trajectories from 2018 to 2022: (i) consistent high food security (23.9%), (ii) consistent moderate food security (28.3%), (iii) consistent very low food security (17.6%), (iv) improved food security (12.6%), and (v) temporarily improved food security (17.6%). Several demographic/household factors were associated with the likelihood of experiencing trajectories of less food security. Understanding trajectories of food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic can inform policy responses during future health or economic crises. Food security status is not a static condition; annual measurement is critical for promoting food security among low-income U.S. families.