Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted food systems and the economy in the U.S. and abroad. This cross-sectional study examined the direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19 on food access among low-income and Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) in New York State. New York residents were recruited to complete a web-based survey through Qualtrics. The survey took place in May and June 2020 and asked participants about COVID-19 health impacts, risk factors, and food access. Chi-square analysis examined issues with food access experienced by demographic characteristics, work disruptions, health impacts, and household risk for contracting the virus and experiencing severe illness, and significant results were analyzed in a series of logistic regression models. After accounting for covariates, Hispanic respondents, those with likely Major Depressive Disorder, and essential workers were more likely to experience worse food access during COVID-19. Improved policies and services to address impacts on vulnerable populations such as BIPOC, those suffering from mental health disorders, and workers in lower-paying essential jobs can reduce the risk of food access issues at this time. Future research can identify how food access issues during the pandemic influenced diet quality, chronic disease risk and infection, and persistence of food access issues.
Highlights
The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic impacted countries across the world, including the United States
Improved policies and services to address impacts on vulnerable populations such as BIPOC, those suffering from mental health disorders, and workers in lower-paying essential jobs can reduce the risk of food access issues at this time
This study examined the direct (i.e., COVID-19 illness and mental health) and indirect impacts of COVID-19 on food access in New York State
Summary
The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic impacted countries across the world, including the United States. As of early January 2021, over 86 million COVID-19 cases and close to 2 million deaths have been reported around the globe [1]. The pandemic disrupted the economy and exacerbated vulnerabilities in the food system. Unemployment rates early in the pandemic rose to levels not seen since the Great. Employment loss and disruption led to reductions in food access for many Americans. Almost 14% of adults reported not having enough to eat in the last seven days in early December 2020 compared to the pre-pandemic rate of 3.7% for the previous year (2019) [3]. Other studies have reported increases in food insecurity rates in various parts of the country during the pandemic [4,5,6]
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