This is a qualitative study that seeks to understand the intersections of food insecurity and chronic diseases in the lives of women living in Mattapan. This research takes place in Mattapan, a neighborhood in Boston. Mattapan is a very diverse and unique community which is home to a majority of people of color. Mattapan is often criticized and viewed as an undesirable place to live for those who live outside of its borders. These negative stereotypes and the presence of structural violence has generated a built site scarcity within the Mattapan community. This makes it incredibly difficult for Black women in Mattapan to be healthy because their environment actively prevents them from doing so. It is important to give women special consideration when looking at food insecurity because more increasingly they are becoming the sole and primary caregivers in their homes. They are responsible for the production and preparation of food within their families. Therefore, it is necessary and important to focus on this particular population and obstacles they endure navigating those obstacles. This research focuses on how past and present lived experiences of women of color in Mattapan inform how these women identify, understand, define, and interpret structural factors that contribute to food insecurity, and chronic diseases. Having access to fresh and affordable food is one of the most basic necessities of life. Yet, many communities of color across the country lack this basic access. Twenty percent of all African American household’s experience food insecurity compared 12.5 percent of the nation as a whole. In addition, African-American women are almost twice as likely to be overweight and obese compared to non-Hispanic White women. With such grave proportions of African-Americans suffering from chronic diseases, it is important to consider the ways in which obesity systematically occurs. Structural violence and the presence of structural barriers inhibit Black women from eating healthy. In predominately Black and immigrant communities like Mattapan, the environment is a major barrier that women must navigate every day in order to achieve healthiness.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Geography)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / South Africa’s population is more than 60% urbanised. Although food poverty has historically been associated with rural communities, this is no longer the case. With sustained urbanisation, food insecurity is now being experienced in the urban areas as well. The aim of this study was therefore to assess household food security levels and determinants, and to examine household food security coping strategies in Brazzaville informal settlement, Pretoria. The study adopted a quantitative approach which involved the collection of information through a standardised household questionnaire. A statistically representative sample of 95 households participated in the study. Household questionnaires were used to collect information on household demographics, income and expenditure statistics, poverty data as well as household food access issues. In terms of data analysis, the survey used three measures of household food insecurity: a) the Household Food Insecurity Access Prevalence Indicator (HFIAP); b) the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS); and c) the Months of Adequate Household Food Provisioning (MAHFP) measurements of household food access. The survey results indicate that 29.5% of households in Brazzaville informal settlement were food secure and 70.5% food insecure. Contrary to conventional wisdom of female-headed households being the most food insecure, results of this study show that maleheaded households were the most food insecure. In addition, households with low incomes, low level of education, and high unemployment were also likely to be food insecure. The results of the regression analysis suggest that gender, household income, and employment influences household food security. The probability of food security decreases if household is headed by a female, because females can adopt multiple coping strategies. The study concludes that food insecurity coping strategies vary significantly from one household to another according to their expenses, objectives and constrains. Keywords: Household food insecurity, urbanisation, livelihood, Brazzaville informal settlement, coping strategies. / National Research Foundation (NRF)

No description available.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The study explored how contextual Bible study (CBS) contributes to the understanding of survival sex in the context of food insecurity. Even though South Africa is a food secure nation, a large percentage of the population is food insecure. While researchers focus significantly on transactional sex and other forms of sexual exchange, survival sex, particularly in the context of food insecurity has not been extensively or adequately researched from the South Africa perspective. CBS as a communal, participatory, collaborative and empowering process is designed as a literary platform upon which community concerns and social justice issues are addressed. Through CBS, conducted with a group of purposefully selected Christian women, the factors that drive survival sex in the context of food insecurity in the Msunduzi Municipality was explored.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / This research study explores seasonal farm working womens’ food insecurity and dietary diversity in Cape Winelands District (CWD). It describes the food difficulties seasonal farm working women are facing that prevents them from acquiring a healthy diverse diet; specify their diet choices as well as portray the current assistance they are receiving from government. The research study found that seasonal farm working women in CWD do experience food insecurity and lack dietary diversity mainly during certain months of the year when they are unemployed or underemployed due to various barriers they experience.

Diabetes is a chronic condition affecting more than 30 million adults living in the United States. Diabetes self-management (DSM) can prevent or delay the complications of diabetes and improve clinical outcomes; however, data show that low-income, food insecurity, female gender, and race contribute to challenges performing effective DSM. The health belief model was the theoretical framework for this cross-sectional study, which examined how food insecurity, low-income, and race affect DSM activities in women with diabetes. The sample population from the 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey consisted of 1,842 women with diabetes who were 18 years of age or older, had an annual income of less than $50,000, and were food insecure. Results of the chi square analyses indicated a significant association between food insecurity and DSM activities (χ2 = 48.99, p < 0.0001); however, results showed no significant association between low-income or race (p > 0.05). Results of a binary logistic regression model revealed that food secure and younger women had 1.618 and .584 times the odds of having effective DSM activities than food-insecure and older women (OR=1.618, 95% CI=1.282 - 2.041, p < 0.001; OR=.584, 95% CI=.465 - .733, p < 0.001, respectively). These results might provide researchers with guidance regarding food insecure and younger women with diabetes who might require additional support for their diabetes management. Tailored public health interventions might lead to positive social change by increasing food stability and nutrition knowledge, potentiating improvements in hemoglobin A1C, a 90-day measure of glucose control, which could reduce risk of diabetes-related morbidity and mortality.

Type 2 diabetes disproportionately affects low-income African American women, age 50 years and older: 30% to 40% of this population has this chronic disease. Two significant factors affecting poor diabetes practice adherence are food insecurity and depression; another is obesity. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine if either food insecurity or depression significantly affect Type 2 diabetes self-management practices; and/or if food insecurity significantly influences practice adherence indirectly, through the mediator of depression, while controlling for obesity. The research questions were aligned with the theoretical pathways posited in Matthews's reserve capacity model (RCM) and used the most current national data from the 2015 BRFSS dataset. The results of the linear regression models indicated that as hypothesized, depression was significantly associated with poor practice adherence; contrary to hypotheses, food insecurity and obesity were not. The lack of significance between food insecurity and depression eliminated the need to test for mediation. While correlational analyses revealed a significant association between obesity and depression, this relationship was no longer detected in linear regression analyses. An unanticipated finding was the significant relationship between education and Type 2 depression self-management practices, a relationship that maintained significance even with the entry of depression. These findings have implications for positive social change in the form of preventative interventions aimed at weight-loss and/or reducing depression among African American women at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes.

Over 17 million food-insecure households are associated with increasing obesity rates across the United States. Although food insecurity and obesity are distinct social concerns, the two are linked and may be influenced by poverty and geographic location. Public health authorities and state leaders responsible for the health and nutrition of rural populations in particular would benefit from this information. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to examine whether poverty mediated the relationship between food insecurity and obesity among urban and rural adults. The study was guided by the poverty, food insecurity, and obesity conceptual framework. The study addressed the association between poverty and food insecurity, poverty and obesity, and food insecurity and obesity. Records from 9068 participants in the 2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were weighted to represent the population of Louisiana. Logistic regression models indicated that individuals living in poverty were 6 times more likely to experience food insecurity and that living in poverty and being food insecure doubled the odds of being obese. Poverty mediates the relationship between food insecurity and obesity in a dynamic and complex manner. Findings also indicated gender and age differences in rates of obesity, poverty, and food insecurity, as well as higher rates of obesity in rural populations. Social change implications include providing additional evidence of how poverty affects food insecurity and obesity, which may encourage states with high poverty rates to initiate food insecurity surveillance using BRFSS to reduce obesity.

The incidence of food insecurity coupled with poor management of illnesses poses a public health challenge. Poor adherence to medication regimens is a contributor to poor health outcomes, especially among the socioeconomically disadvantaged. Food insecurity is a global health and nutrition problem that affects approximately 50 million people in the United States. The number of food-insecure households in the United States has increased by 12% since 1995, and so has the burden of management of illnesses. The cost of healthcare has risen from 5% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 1960 to 20% of the GDP currently. This quantitative study used responses from questionnaires from a sample size of 130 to assess the impact that food insecurity has on the management of illnesses in families in Wayne County, Ohio. The social-ecological model was used as a theoretical framework to understand the various levels of influence of food insecurity on the management of illnesses. Results showed that people who were food insecure were 4 times more likely to skip medication (OR = 4.174; p = 0.0096), and people who used food assistance programs were more likely to skip medication (OR = 4.305; p = .0088; OR = .351; p = .0288). These results suggest that food insecurity is associated with the management of illness. To promote social change, solutions at the individual, healthcare, community, and policy levels are necessary to improve management of illness and prevent health complications. Providing communities with sustainable methods to empower them to supplement food and support consumption of balanced meals.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / Background: Food insecurity is a phenomenon affecting many developed countries, among them susceptible to food insecurity are tertiary students. Food insecurity affects the livelihoods of students and is a global problem. This causes doubt and anxiety which affects the educational outcome of students and losing focus on academic excellence. This study focuses on student food security and the role of campus food aid programs at the University of the Western Cape. Food security is an important aspect of people’s lives globally. While food insecurity is a significant challenge experienced by many South Africans nationally. Thus, necessary to shed light on the challenges of food among tertiary institutions and the relevance of food aid programs. Methods: The present study employed a mixed-method which has provided both significant elements of quantitative and qualitative research methods. A comprehensive review of the literature was employed, this includes both academic literature and grey literature on student food insecurity globally, nationally, and at UWC. Primary data and secondary data were collected to answer the research questions. The quantitative element of this study was conducted through an online questionnaire with thirty postgraduate students. While the qualitative element was conducted semi-structured with ten postgraduate students. Results: Students from low socio-economic backgrounds, without funding, covid 19, and expensive food on campus are some of the main causes of food insecurity. Students experiencing food insecurity have lost interest in their academics, performed less than their potential in academic assessments, some have failed the academic year and dropping out before time. The discontinuation of some food aid programs has increased the demand for food and the need for more food initiatives to be established. The role of food aid programs provided positive results in the alleviating of food insecurity during covid 19 and have proven consistency in the provision of food. Conclusion: This study aimed to bring awareness about the existence of food insecurity among postgraduate students. Stakeholders of the university, policymakers, and researchers must take into consideration the various effects of food insecurity and investigate the alleviation strategies. This prevents the increase in dropping out, students repeating the academic year, and getting an improvement in academic excellence and graduation rates