Health-Related Quality of Life of Food-Insecure Ethnic Minority Patients With Cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The association between food insecurity and health-related quality of life (QOL) of racial/ethnic minority patients with cancer has not been examined. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between food insecurity and health-related QOL reported by racial/ethnic minority patients with cancer.


METHODS
A consecutive sample of 1,390 underserved ethnic minority patients receiving cancer care in 10 cancer clinics and hospitals in New York City participated in this study. Health-related QOL was measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) and food security was assessed by the US Department of Agriculture Core Food Security Module.


RESULTS
Of the 1,390 patients, 581 (41.8%) were classified as food secure, 571 (41.1%) with low food security, and 238 (17.1%) with very low food security. Health-related QOL decreased with each lower food security level. Patient self-reported physical, functional, social, and emotional well-being subscale scores decrease significantly with increasing food insecurity. After controlling for demographic and medical-related factors, the decreases in QOL, physical, functional, social and emotional well-being scores with increasing food insecurity remained significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Food insecurity was associated with lower QOL in this sample of underserved racial/ethnic minority patients with cancer. Underserved ethnic minority patients diagnosed with cancer are a vulnerable patient population, at significant risk for inadequate food access and the related lower QOL.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.
Francesca
F
Gany
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.
Jennifer
J
Leng
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.
Julia
J
Ramirez
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.
Serena
S
Phillips
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.
Abraham
A
Aragones
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.
Nicole
N
Roberts
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.
Mohammed Imran
MI
Mujawar
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY costasmr@mskcc.org.
Rosario
R
Costas-Muñiz
D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life