Food Pantry Usage Patterns are Associated with Client Sociodemographics and Health
Characterizing food pantry (FP) clients’ FP usage patterns may provide opportunities to tailor health-related interventions. Respondents (n = 245) at seven FPs reported their frequency and reliance on FPs and their sociodemographics, health status, and health-related trade-offs. Clients were categorized via latent class analysis. Higher FP usage was associated with being older, having a household member with heart disease, and putting off buying medicine to buy food. Lower FP usage was associated with higher levels of education and having a household member with cancer. Findings highlight the potential importance of measuring FP clients’ degree of FP use.
Full citation: Christopher R. Long, Marie-Rachelle Narcisse, Brett Rowland, Bonnie Faitak, Mary M. Bailey, Joel Gittelsohn, Caitlin E. Caspi, Jill Niemeier, Emily S. English & Pearl A. McElfish (2021): Food Pantry Usage Patterns are Associated with Client Sociodemographics and Health, Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1080/19320248.2021.2001404