Table 1.
Characteristics of food-insecure patients at diabetes clinic
| Characteristic | All food-insecure patients (N = 143) | Interviewed patients (n = 31) |
|---|---|---|
| Sex, no. (%) | ||
| Women | 61 (43) | 12 (39) |
| Men | 82 (57) | 19 (61) |
| Age, mean (standard deviation) | 53.4 (11) | 50.2 (9) |
| Primary language, no. (%) | ||
| English | 71 (50) | 23 (74)a |
| Spanish | 55 (38) | 8 (26)a |
| Other | 17 (12) | 0 (0) |
| Housing status, no. (%) | ||
| Housed with cooking facilities | 90 (83)b | 26 (84) |
| Single room occupancy | 7 (6)b | 1 (3) |
| Housed without cooking facilities | 2 (2)b | 1 (3) |
| Homeless | 10 (9)b | 3 (10) |
| Patients using at least 1 food resource at time of screening, no. (%) | 53 (37) | 13 (42) |
| Food resources used at time of screening, no. (%)c | ||
| Food stamps | 21 (15) | 4 (13) |
| Free groceries (eg, food pantries) | 21 (15) | 5 (16) |
| Free meals (eg, soup kitchens) | 15 (10) | 6 (19) |
| Home-delivered meals | 8 (6) | 2 (7) |
a
Difference is statistically significant (p < 0.05).
b
n = 109. This question was added after a few weeks of screening as we learned the importance of cooking facilities, storage, etc, in making the referrals.
c
More than 1 response was allowed.