The Impact of Nutrition Knowledge and Perceived Stress on Food Insecurity Among Syrian Refugees in Florida (P04-079-19)

Abstract

Abstract Objectives Food insecurity, nutrition knowledge, and perceived stress were assessed among Syrian refugees in urban and/or rural areas in Florida. The relationship between food insecurity and nutrition knowledge was determined as well. Methods A comprehensive 228-question questionnaire was administered to 80 households (n = 80, 43 in rural area, 37 in urban area). Families with children and couple families with children and additional individuals living in the same household were interviewed (87.5% families with children, 12.5% families with children and additional individuals). Interviewees included women and men (63 women, 17 men) of households with duration of stay in US of >24 months (mean ± SD) (26.4 ± 6.8). Results Food insecurity scale showed that refugees in urban and rural areas are moderately food insecure without hunger (4.5 ± 2.8, 4.9 ± 2.4 respectively). The mean of nutrition knowledge score was 42.0 ± 13.6 among all of the refugees; refugees in urban scored 41.5 ± 10.9 and in rural areas was 42.7 ± 16.3. It was estimated that Syrian refugees have fair nutrition knowledge. There might be a positive but not significant correlation between food insecurity and nutrition knowledge (r = 0.07 and P > 0.05). Perceived stress scale (20.9 ± 9.0) indicated a low level of stress. However, refugees residing in urban areas had moderate perceived stress scale (24.6 ± 6.1) compared to refugees residing in rural areas (17.8 ± 9.1). A significant (P < 0.01) correlation was observed between low perceived stress and food insecurity among refugees in rural areas (r = 0.38, P = 0.01). There was a positive insignificant correlation between perceived stress and food insecurity among refugees in urban areas (r = 0.1, P > 0.05). Conclusions Syrian refugees have fair nutrition knowledge. Refugees in urban areas experience greater perceived stress compared to refugees in rural areas. Low power might be contributed to our findings. Increasing sample size may be recommended. Funding Sources N/A.