title: Food insecurity and mental health: a pilot study of patients in a psychiatric emergency unit in Israel.
abstract: The objective of this study was to examine food insecurity among psychiatric patients and as a concern for mental health practitioners. Food security and psychological distress were measured among 113 patients hospitalized in a psychiatric emergency unit. Of 113 respondents 67 (59.3%) enjoyed food security and 46 (40.7%) lacked food security. Food insecure respondents showed a higher level of psychological distress than food secure respondents. A large proportion of in-patients may be suffering food insecurity which is negatively associated with their psychological well being. Mental health practitioners need to be aware of the potential association of food insecurity and mental distress among psychiatric patients.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Hospitalization Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ministry of Health Mental Health Center, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, POB 4600, 84170, Beer Sheva, Israel. grisarun@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nimrod
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Grisaru
authors.forename: Roni
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaufman
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mirsky
authors.forename: Eliezer
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Witztum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004637:Emergency Services, Psychiatric; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult