Are our severely ill patients hungry?

Abstract

e19626 Background: Food insecurity, a disruption in a household’s eating habits due to insufficient resources for food, is a growing problem in the U.S., where 17.4 million households are food insecure. It is especially detrimental to oncology patients. No studies have yet assessed levels of food insecurity among oncology patients in major population centers. This study aims to estimate the prevalence and predictors of food insecurity among a cohort of medically underserved oncology patients. Methods: Demographic background, diagnosis and treatment information, and responses to the USDA Household Food Security Survey Module were collected and analyzed for a sample of 411 patients with a clinical cancer diagnosis who were in care at 10 hospitals in New York, NY. Food insecurity status was defined according to USDA guidelines, by the number of reported food insecure conditions and behaviors in the USDA Household Food Security Survey Module. Results: The prevalence of food insecurity was 55%, with low and very low food security rates of 45% and 10%, respectively. Food insecure patients were more likely to be younger than food secure patients, and have worse access to health care. Conclusions: This cohort of predominantly immigrant and minority cancer patients had rates of food insecurity nearly 5 times higher than the state average. More research is needed to better understand the causes and impact of food insecurity among cancer and other patients with severe and chronic illnesses. Food insecurity screening should be considered as a component of the standard of care for all cancer and chronic disease patients.