Moderate and severe household food insecurity in families of people living with HIV/Aids: scale validation and associated factors.

Amira Rose Costa Medeiros,Amanda Amaiy Pessoa Salerno,Ronei Marcos De Moraes,Flávia Maiele Pedroza Trajano,Rodrigo Pinheiro De Toledo Vianna,Rafaela Lira Formiga Cavalcanti De Lima,Leidyanny Barbosa De Medeiros

doi:10.1590/1413-812320172210.02462017

Amira Rose Costa Medeiros, Amanda Amaiy Pessoa Salerno + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-812320172210.02462017

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Journal: Ciencia & saude coletiva	Publication Date: Oct 1, 2017
Citations: 7	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: Universidade Federal da Paraíba

Abstract

Vulnerable population groups, including people living with HIV/Aids (PLHA), may have a high prevalence of food insecurity (FI). A cross-sectional study evaluated the internal validity of the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale (Escala Brasileira de Insegurança Alimentar - EBIA) and measured the prevalence of FI in a sample of 796 PLHA in João Pessoa, Paraíba State (PB). The validation was performed using a Rasch analysis. The association of FI with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics was assessed using the chi-square test. Associated variables were included in a Poisson multiple regression model. The EBIA was valid for PLHA with fit values within the expected limits and item severity conforming to the theoretical model. The EBIA identified 66.5% of PLHA with FI in the sample (30.8% mild FI, 18.1% moderate FI and 17.6% severe FI). Moderate FI and severe FI were associated with an age younger than 43 years (prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.49; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.14-1.86), primary education (PR=1.64; 95% CI: 1.24-2.17), income per capita lower than ½ minimum wage (MW) (PR=1.83; 95% CI: 1.37-2.44), lack of occupation (PR=1.59; 95% CI: 1.16-2.19) and adult-only households with a female reference person (PR=2.19; 95% CI: 1.45-3.31). The PLHA in this study had a high prevalence of FI, worsening their living conditions and potentially exacerbating their health problems.

Highlights

Food and nutritional security (FNS) is “the realization of everyone’s right to regular and permanent access to quality food, in sufficient quantity, without endangering access to other essential needs, based on food practices that promote health, that respect cultural diversity and that are socially, economically and environmentally sustainable”[1]
The differences observed in the frequency distribution of these 2 groups showed that the prevalence of severe Food insecurity (FI) was higher in adult-only households even though food security (FS) was higher in this group (Table 1)
The present study reported the results from the validation of the EBIA administered to people living with HIV/Aids (PLHA), the measurements of FI prevalence and the factors associated with FI

Summary

Introduction

Food and nutritional security (FNS) is “the realization of everyone’s right to regular and permanent access to quality food, in sufficient quantity, without endangering access to other essential needs, based on food practices that promote health, that respect cultural diversity and that are socially, economically and environmentally sustainable”[1]. Food security (FS) is associated with food access conditions and is directly related to family income, education, access to other basic needs and living conditions[2,3]. The FS and FI situation has been evaluated using the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale (Escala Brasileira de Insegurança Alimentar – EBIA), which was adapted and validated for the Brazilian context in 20035-7. The EBIA has been used to assess the prevalence of FNS and the different FI levels in Brazil and to identify vulnerable groups requiring specific social policies[3]

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Conclusion