title: Do our patients have enough to eat?: Food insecurity among urban low-income cancer patients.
abstract: This study assessed the prevalence and predictors of food insecurity among a cohort of underserved oncology patients at New York City cancer clinics. A demographic survey and the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module were administered. A multivariate General Linear Model Analysis of Covariance was used to evaluate predictors of food insecurity. Four hundred and four (404) completed the surveys. Nearly one-fifth (18%) had very low, 38% low, 17% marginal, and 27% high food security. The Analysis of Covariance was statistically significant (F[7, 370] = 19.08; p &lt; .0001; R-Square = 0.26). Younger age, Spanish language, poor health care access, and having less money for food since beginning cancer treatment were significantly associated with greater food insecurity. This cohort of underserved cancer patients had rates of food insecurity nearly five times those of the state average. More research is needed to understand better the causes and impact of food insecurity among cancer and chronic disease patients.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gany
authors.forename: Trevor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Massie
authors.forename: Alyssa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crist
authors.forename: Thelma
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McNish
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Winkel
authors.forename: Jennifer C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Leng
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009519:New York City; D011203:Poverty; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population