Table 2.
Hunger study participant characteristics by hunger level, food pantry users in 10 food pantries in eastern Massachusetts, June 2018 – August 2018, n = 616.
| Variable | Overall (N = 616) n (%) | Little to no Hungera (N = 371) n (%) | Moderate Hungera (N = 124) n (%) | Severe Hungera (N = 121) n (%) | p-valueb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, yearsc | |||||
| 18 – < 30 | 50 (8.12%) | 19 (5.12%) | 14 (11.29%) | 17 (14.05%) | 0.0018 |
| 30 – < 40 | 88 (14.29%) | 53 (14.29%) | 18 (14.52%) | 17 (14.05%) | |
| 40 – < 50 | 105 (17.05%) | 58 (15.63%) | 22 (17.74%) | 25 (20.66%) | |
| 50 – < 60 | 178 (28.90%) | 100 (26.95%) | 38 (30.65%) | 40 (33.06%) | |
| 60 – < 65 | 70 (11.36%) | 47 (12.67%) | 14 (11.29%) | 9 (7.44%) | |
| ≥ 65 | 125 (20.29%) | 94 (25.34%) | 18 (14.52%) | 13 (10.74%) | |
| Sex | |||||
| Female | 447 (72.56%) | 268 (72.24%) | 99 (79.84%) | 80 (66.12%) | 0.0538 |
| Male | 169 (27.44%) | 103 (27.76%) | 25 (20.16%) | 41 (33.88%) | |
| Educational attainment | |||||
| Less than high school | 153 (24.84%) | 85 (22.91%) | 38 (30.65%) | 30 (24.79%) | 0.0325 |
| High school or some college | 370 (60.06%) | 217 (58.49%) | 74 (59.68%) | 79 (65.29%) | |
| College graduate (4 years) or more | 93 (15.10%) | 70 (18.60%) | 12 (9.68%) | 12 (9.92%) | |
| Race/ethnicity | |||||
| Non-Hispanic White | 230 (37.34%) | 156 (42.05%) | 36 (29.03%) | 35 (28.93%) | 0.0707 |
| Non-Hispanic Black | 163 (26.46%) | 90 (24.26%) | 38 (30.65%) | 42 (34.71%) | |
| Non-Hispanic other | 49 (7.95%) | 23 (6.20%) | 12 (9.68%) | 27 (22.31%) | |
| Hispanic | 174 (28.25%) | 102 (27.49%) | 38 (30.65%) | 17 (14.05%) | |
| Household sized | |||||
| 0–1 people | 178 (28.90%) | 117 (31.54%) | 26 (20.97%) | 35 (28.93%) | 0.0398 |
| 2–3 people | 235 (38.15%) | 147 (39.62%) | 46 (36.10%) | 42 (34.71%) | |
| 4–5 people | 145 (23.54%) | 79 (21.29%) | 39 (31.45%) | 27 (22.31%) | |
| ≥ 5 people | 58 (9.42%) | 28 (7.55%) | 13 (10.48%) | 17 (14.05%) | |
| Marital status | |||||
| Single, never married | 219 (35.55%) | 110 (29.65%) | 52 (41.94%) | 57 (47.11%) | 0.0018 |
| Married, living with partner | 227 (36.85%) | 142 (38.27%) | 45 (36.29%) | 40 (33.06%) | |
| Separated, divorced, or widowed | 170 (27.60%) | 119 (32.08%) | 27 (21.77%) | 24(19.83%) | |
| Senior (≥ 65 years old) in householde | 185 (30.03%) | 127 (34.23%) | 343(27.61%) | 25 (20.66%) | 0.0133 |
| Child (<18 years old) in householde | 262 (42.53%) | 147 (39.30%) | 66 (52.80%) | 52 (42.98%) | 0.0338 |
| Monthly incomef | |||||
| Less than $500 | 112 (18.18%) | 61 (16.44%) | 24 (19.35%) | 27 (22.31%) | 0.0067 |
| $500 to $999 | 183 (29.71%) | 93 (25.07%) | 49 (39.52%) | 41 (33.88%) | |
| $1,000 to $1499 | 151 (24.51%) | 98 (26.15%) | 24 (19.35%) | 30 (24.79%) | |
| $1500 to $1999 | 89 (14.45%) | 58 (15.63%) | 16 (12.90%) | 15 (12.40%) | |
| $2000 or more | 81 (13.15%) | 62 (16.71%) | 11 (8.87%) | 8 (6.61%) | |
| Occupation | |||||
| Disabled | 152 (24.68%) | 84 (22.64%) | 31 (25.00%) | 37 (30.58%) | 0.0218 |
| Homemaker | 50 (8.12%) | 33 (8.89%) | 11 (8.87%) | 6 (4.96%) | |
| Other | 9 (1.46%) | 4 (1.08%) | 3 (2.42%) | 2 (1.65%) | |
| Retired | 94 (15.26%) | 71 (19.14%) | 15 (12.10%) | 8 (6.61%) | |
| Unemployed | 96 (15.58%) | 52 (14.02%) | 21 (16.94%) | 23 (19.01%) | |
| Working full time (> = 35 h/week) | 94 (15.26%) | 63 (16.98%) | 12 (9.68%) | 19 (15.70%) | |
| Working part time (<35 h/week) | 121 (19.64%) | 64 (17.25%) | 31 (25.00%) | 26 (21.49%) | |
| Food pantry site | |||||
| Pantry 1 | 126 (20.45%) | 69 (18.60%) | 24 (19.35%) | 33 (27.27%) | 0.0337 |
| Pantry 2 | 21 (3.41%) | 15 (4.04%) | 4 (3.23%) | 2 (1.65%) | |
| Pantry 3 | 25 (4.06%) | 13 (3.50%) | 7 (5.65%) | 5 (4.13%) | |
| Pantry 4 | 98 (15.91%) | 55 (14.82%) | 23 (18.55%) | 20 (16.53%) | |
| Pantry 5 | 18 (2.92%) | 8 (2.16%) | 5 (4.03%) | 5 (4.13%) | |
| Pantry 6 | 18 (2.92%) | 11 (2.96%) | 6 (4.84%) | 1 (0.83%) | |
| Pantry 7 | 38 (6.17%) | 18 (4.85%) | 10 (8.06%) | 10 (8.26%) | |
| Pantry 8 | 215 (34.90%) | 151 (40.70%) | 30 (24.19%) | 34 (28.10%) | |
| Pantry 9 | 51 (8.28%) | 30 (8.09%) | 13 (10.48%) | 8 (6.61%) | |
| Pantry 10 | 6 (0.97%) | 1 (0.27%) | 2 (1.61%) | 3 (2.48%) | |
| Experience of adverse economic eventsg | |||||
| Yes | 373 (60.55%) | 192 (51.75%) | 81 (65.32%) | 100 (82.64%) | <0.0001 |
| No | 243 (39.45%) | 179 (48.25%) | 43 (34.68%) | 21 (17.36%) | |
| Number of adverse economic events | |||||
| 0 | 264 (42.84%) | 188 (50.67%) | 50 (40.32%) | 26 (21.49%) | <0.0001 |
| 1 | 208 (33.77%) | 110 (29.65%) | 44 (35.48%) | 54 (44.63%) | |
| 2 or more | 144 (23.38%) | 73 (19.68%) | 30 (24.19%) | 41 (33.88%) | |
| Type of adverse economic eventh,i | |||||
| Death of family member | 56 (9.09%) | 24 (6.47%) | 13 (10.48%) | 19 (15.70%) | |
| Divorce | 11 (1.79%) | 7 (1.89%) | 3 (2.42%) | 1 (0.83%) | |
| Pay reduction | 73 (11.85%) | 32 (8.63%) | 17 (13.71%) | 24 (19.83%) | |
| Legal expenses | 26 (4.22%) | 17 (4.58%) | 2 (1.61%) | 7 (5.79%) | |
| Debt | 61 (9.90%) | 27 (7.28%) | 16 (12.90%) | 18 (14.88%) | |
| Job Loss | 84 (13.64%) | 40 (10.78%) | 19 (15.32%) | 25 (20.66%) | |
| Home-related expenses | 28 (4.55%) | 17 (4.58%) | 4 (3.23%) | 7 (5.79%) | |
| Eviction | 31 (5.03%) | 8 (2.16%) | 10 (8.06%) | 13 (10.74%) | |
| Medical expenses | 109 (17.69%) | 62 (16.71%) | 21 (17.94%) | 26 (21.49%) | |
| Other | 117 (18.99%) | 66 (17.79%) | 26 (20.97%) | 25 (20.66%) | |
Hunger categories were defined as little to no hunger in the household (HHS score = 0–1), moderate hunger in the household (HHS score = 2–3), and severe hunger in the household (HHS 4–6) according to the HHS score.
Analyses were conducted using frequencies and Pearson’s chi-square statistical test significance = 0.05.
Age categories were created based on pre-established age definitions from the US Census.
Household size categories were created based on the open-ended responses of number of people in household.
Household composition for both children and seniors in the household were defined as at least one or more in the household.
Income categories were created based on open-ended responses for annual/monthly income.
Adverse Economic Events was defined as experiencing at least one of the listed events in the past three months: medical expenses, job loss, reduced pay/h, divorce, home-related expenses, foreclosure/eviction notice, death of a family member or breadwinner, debt, legal expenses, or another event.
This was a select more than one adverse economic event and therefore the probability may exceed 100%.
Types of adverse economic events were coded as separate variables and therefore no tests of statistical significance are conducted on this overall variable but are conducted in later tables.