The well-being of children in food-insecure households: results from The Eastern Caribbean Child Vulnerability Study 2005.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between food insecurity and child well-being indicators.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey conducted in 2344 households with children. The main exposure measure was food insecurity status, which was categorized as food secure or food insecure based on two or more food insecurity questions answered in the affirmative. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to model the association between food insecurity status and selected child well-being indicators.


METHODS
Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines (hereafter St. Vincent), three Eastern Caribbean countries, 2005.


METHODS
A random sample of households with children was identified by the governments of Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Vincent. In-home interviews were conducted by social workers.


RESULTS
One-third (33%) of households were categorized as food insecure. Food-insecure households were more likely to include a chronically ill parent (OR = 2.48; 95% CI 1.76, 3.49), a recently divorced parent (OR = 1.92; 95% CI 1.21, 3.05), a child requiring multiple visits to a health-care provider for a disability (OR = 3.98; 95% CI 1.20, 13.19) or injury (OR = 1.78; 95% CI 1.12, 2.83), a child with a learning disability (OR = 2.08; 95% CI 1.16, 3.74) or a child with a physical disability (OR = 2.54; 95% CI 1.22, 5.32) after adjustment for poverty and other demographic variables.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that food-insecure households were more likely to be burdened by child disability (learning and physical), family system disruption (recent divorce and chronic illness) and child health-care needs (for disability and injury) than food-secure households. The implementation of programmes and policies to minimize food insecurity in the Eastern Caribbean may be warranted.
Racine
Elizabeth F
EF
University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Department of Public Health Sciences, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28223-0001, USA. efracine@uncc.edu
Jemison
Kyle
K
Huber
Larissa R
LR
Arif
Ahmed A
AA
D000293:Adolescent; D001460:Barbados; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019988:Children with Disabilities; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011203:Poverty; D019431:Saint Lucia; D019436:Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*