title: Factors contributing to participation in food assistance programs in the elderly population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study objectives were to examine the participation rate in food assistance programs and explore the factors that contribute to such participation among the Korean elderly population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study sample comprised 3,932 respondents aged 65 years or older who were selected from a secondary data set, the fourth Korean Welfare Panel Study (KoWePS). The factors, related to participation in programs were examined based on the predisposing, enabling and need factors of the help-seeking behavior model. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to select the best contributors among the factors related to program participation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The predisposing rate in food assistance programs was 8.5% (7.1% for men and 10.4% for women). When all variables were included in the model, living without spouse, no formal education, low income, having social security benefits and food insecurity in elderly men, and age, low income, having social security benefits and feeling poor in elderly women were significantly related to a higher tendency to program participation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The predisposing and need factors, such as living without spouse, low education level, food insecurity and feeling poor were important for program participation, as well as enabling factors, such as household income and social security benefits. A comprehensive approach considering these factors to identify the target population for food assistance programs is needed to increase the effectiveness and target population penetration of these programs.
authors.affiliation: ASEAN Institute for Health Development, Mahidol University, Salaya, 73170 Nakhonpathom, Thailand.
authors.forename: Seo Ah
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Natural Science, Dankook University, 119 Dandae-ro, Dangnam-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungnam 330-714, Korea.
authors.forename: Kirang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Food assistance programs; food insecurity; income; the elderly population
references.citation: Exp Aging Res. 2003 Oct-Dec;29(4):437-56
references.pmid: 12959877
references.citation: J Prev Med Public Health. 2008 Nov;41(6):387-96
references.pmid: 19037168
references.citation: Public Health Nutr. 2009 Nov;12(11):2113-9
references.pmid: 19371452
references.citation: Nutr Rev. 1996 Jan;54(1 Pt 2):S7-8
references.pmid: 8919671
references.citation: J Nutr Elder. 2010 Apr;29(2):116-49
references.pmid: 20473809
references.citation: Am J Public Health. 1999 Aug;89(8):1231-4
references.pmid: 10432912
references.citation: J Nutr Educ Behav. 2003 Sep-Oct;35(5):249-54
references.pmid: 14521824
references.citation: J Nutr. 2001 Mar;131(3):765-73
references.pmid: 11238757
references.citation: J Health Soc Behav. 1995 Mar;36(1):1-10
references.pmid: 7738325
references.citation: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2001 Mar;56(3):M146-56
references.pmid: 11253156
references.citation: J Nutr. 1990 Nov;120 Suppl 11:1559-600
references.pmid: 2243305