An Assessment of Food Insecurity in a Lower North Community Health Center Carly Sedlock, James Plumb MD, MPH, and Rickie Brawer PhD, MPH Center for Urban Health, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA

      Compared to ABSTRACT RESULTS (''3 residents of ..3 Food insecurity describes the inability to access enough Of the 30 patients screened for food insecurity, 14 (47%) /'3 Philadelphia and -+3 ,.3 LN Philadelphia, food at all times to lead an active, healthy life. While food screened positive. When the patients were further -'3 +*3 food insecure insecurity is associated with several negative health *-3 grouped by age, food insecurity appeared to +'3 !$ patients rated their outcomes, screening for food insecurity in the clinical disproportionately affect the older adult patients attending )*3 $  )'3  $  health more poorly. setting is not consistently performed. The goals of this St. Elizabeth's for healthcare services. Food insecure pilot study were to: explore the prevalence of food '3 individuals also lived        insecurity among patients attending St. Elizabeth's                 !      with many chronic     Wellness Center in , explore the /'3 .,3   health conditions.

impact of food insecurity on health and disease       -(3      management, and assess how to better address food -'3 /'3 insecurity in the primary care setting. .(3 .(3 -.3 *03 -,3 +'3 -'3 +.3    ),3 +*3 +*3 INTRODUCTION ,*3   */3 )'3 +'3 )03   • US in 2011: 14.9% of households experienced food $    )'3       insecurity during the previous 12 months (50 million $  (/3 )'3 (+3 (-3 individuals, 16 million children)1 '3    ,' ,'  2 '3 – Philadelphia: 22%  "    $ "    3, 4   • Health effects associated with food insecurity : “I ate more fruits and vegetables when the farmer's market was    – Diet-sensitive chronic disease there [near St. Elizabeth's]...the farmer's market was an asset to – Poorer self-reported health status and physical and the community.” (survey participant) “I can't eat the diet I need to be healthy.” (survey participant) mental health scores – Delayed physical and academic development, CONCLUSION learning difficulties, and chronic disease in children It is critical to explore how an assessment of food security The identification of • Currently no standardized guidelines for food security can be included in frameworks for chronic disease food insecure screening in the healthcare setting prevention and management. Recommendations to individuals from many address food insecurity in the clinical setting include: zip codes in the suggests that limited • Educating healthcare professionals about the issue METHODS food access and • Increasing identification of food insecurity through affordability are issues systematic screening • Convenience sample of 30 adult patients (ages 18 and that exist throughout older) who receive medical care at St. Elizabeth's were • Connecting food insecure patients with local and Philadelphia, federal nutrition assistance resources screened for food insecurity especially in low • Working to build more direct links between healthcare • Food security assessed using the USDA’s 10 question income areas. centers and community resources US Adult Household Food Security Survey Module, a validated survey instrument REFERENCES 1. Coleman-Jensen, A., Nord, M. Andrews, M., Carlson, S. (2012). Household food security in the in 2011. • Food insecure patients were asked open-ended USDA-ERS (September). 2. The Real Cost of a Healthy Diet: 2011. (2011). Center for Hunger-Free Communities and Children’s HealthWatch. questions and medical charts were reviewed 3. Feeding America. (2013). Retrieved June 27, 2013, from http://feedingamerica.org/ 4. Seligman, H. K., Laraia, B. A., & Kushel, M. B. (2010). Food insecurity is associated with chronic disease among low- “People need to know where to go for food.” (survey participant) income NHANES participants. The Journal of nutrition, 140(2), 304–10.