Table 1.
Core Food Security Module items examined for use in two-item screening*
| Item no. | Question | Response options† |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Now I’m going to read you several statements that people have made about their food situation. For these statements, please tell me whether the statement was often true, sometimes true, or never true for (you/your household) in the last 12 months – that is, since last (name of current month). The first statement is ‘(I/We) worried whether (my/our) food would run out before (I/we) got money to buy more.’ Was that often true, sometimes true, or never true for (you/your household) in the last 12 months? | Often true Sometimes true Never true Don’t know or Refused |
| 2 | ‘The food that (I/we) bought just didn’t last, and (I/we) didn’t have money to get more.’ Was that often, sometimes, or never true for (you/your household) in the last 12 months? | Often true Sometimes true Never true Don’t know or Refused |
| 3 | ‘(I/we) couldn’t afford to eat balanced meals.’ Was that often, sometimes, or never true for (you/your household) in the last 12 months? | Often true Sometimes true Never true Don’t know or Refused |
| 4 | In the last 12 months, since last (name of current month), did (you/you or other adults in your household) ever cut the size of your meals or skip meals because there wasn’t enough money for food? | Yes No Don’t know |
| 5 | (IF YES ABOVE, ASK) How often did this happen – almost every month, some months but not every month, or in only 1 or 2 months? | Almost every month Some months but not every month Only 1 or 2 months Don’t know |
| 6 | In the last 12 months, did you ever eat less than you felt you should because there wasn’t enough money for food? | Yes No Don’t know |
| 7 | In the last 12 months, were you every hungry but didn’t eat because there wasn’t enough money for food? | Yes No Don’t know |
*
The US Department of Agriculture provides public access to the complete Core Food Security Module and its scoring algorithm at http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/survey-tools.aspx ( 14 ).
†
Response options considered affirmative are: Often true, Sometimes true, Yes, Almost every month, and Some months but not every month.