Table 1.
Characteristics of Survey Respondents Reported by Food Security Status Across Five U.S. States During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
| Sociodemographic Characteristics | Food Insecure |
Food Secure |
P | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | n | % | n | ||
| Total | 23.08 | 732 | 76.92 | 2,439 | |
| Age | |||||
| 18 to 24 | 14.78 | 106 | 7.63 | 183 | 0.01 |
| 25 to 34 | 23.99 | 172 | 19.15 | 459 | |
| 35 to 44 | 29.71 | 213 | 23.57 | 565 | |
| 45 to 54 | 15.20 | 109 | 17.73 | 425 | |
| 55 to 64 | 12.69 | 91 | 18.15 | 435 | |
| 65+ | 3.63 | 26 | 13.77 | 330 | |
| Sex/Gender | |||||
| Female | 88.8 | 650 | 86.10 | 2,100 | 0.01 |
| Male | 10.11 | 74 | 13.45 | 328 | |
| Other identity | 0.82 | 6 | 0.24 | 6 | |
| Prefer not to answer | 0.00 | 0 | 0.12 | 3 | |
| Race/Ethnicity | |||||
| White | 72.54 | 531 | 89.38 | 2,180 | <0.01 |
| Black | 9.70 | 71 | 4.35 | 106 | <0.01 |
| Hispanic | 7.65 | 56 | 2.95 | 72 | <0.01 |
| Asian | 4.64 | 34 | 1.64 | 40 | <0.01 |
| American Indian/Alaskan Native | 3.42 | 25 | 1.52 | 37 | <0.01 |
| Middle Eastern | 0.68 | 5 | 0.37 | 9 | 0.26 |
| Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.00 | 0 | 0.12 | 3 | 0.45 |
| Multi-racial | 2.60 | 19 | 1.15 | 28 | <0.01 |
| Other race | 0.82 | 6 | 0.70 | 17 | 0.73 |
| Prefer not to answer | 1.23 | 9 | 0.29 | 7 | <0.01 |
| Education | |||||
| Less than high school or less than high school equivalent (GED) | 1.78 | 13 | 0.16 | 4 | <0.01 |
| Completed high school or high school equivalent (GED) | 9.84 | 72 | 5.21 | 127 | |
| Some college, but no degree | 27.87 | 204 | 13.74 | 335 | |
| Completed 2-year junior or community college or trade school | 15.30 | 112 | 10.21 | 249 | |
| Completed 4-year college or university or higher | 44.40 | 325 | 70.40 | 1,717 | |
| Prefer not to answer | 0.82 | 6 | 0.29 | 7 | |
| Children in Household | |||||
| Yes | 53.57 | 360 | 38.31 | 875 | <0.01 |
| No | 46.43 | 312 | 61.69 | 1,409 | |
| Food Security | Before COVID-19 | After COVID-19 | P | ||
| % | n | % | n | ||
| Food Secure | 84.10 | 2,702 | 76.92 | 2,439 | <0.01 |
| 0 – High food security | 74.07 | 2,380 | 65.97 | 2,092 | |
| 1 – Marginal food security | 10.02 | 322 | 10.94 | 347 | |
| Food Insecure | 15.90 | 511 | 23.08 | 732 | |
| 2 – Low food security | 4.54 | 146 | 5.55 | 176 | |
| 3 – Low food security | 2.77 | 89 | 4.45 | 141 | |
| 4 – Low food security | 1.84 | 59 | 2.52 | 80 | |
| 5 – Very low food security | 2.02 | 65 | 2.84 | 90 | |
| 6 – Very low food security | 4.73 | 152 | 7.73 | 245 | |
| Economic Hardship During COVID-19 | Food Insecure | Food Secure | P | ||
| % | n | % | n | ||
| Participation in Social Services During COVID-19 | |||||
| Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) | 19.67 | 144 | 2.95 | 72 | <0.01 |
| Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) | 9.70 | 71 | 1.27 | 31 | <0.01 |
| Disability Payments or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) | 4.92 | 36 | 1.89 | 46 | <0.01 |
| Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) | 1.23 | 9 | 0.12 | 3 | <0.01 |
| Supplemental Security Income (SSI) | 4.78 | 35 | 1.97 | 48 | <0.01 |
| Free or reduced price school breakfast or lunch | 12.02 | 88 | 4.02 | 98 | <0.01 |
| After school or summer meals program | 5.33 | 39 | 1.35 | 33 | <0.01 |
| Food from food banks or food pantries | 17.08 | 125 | 2.05 | 50 | <0.01 |
| Food gifts from relatives or friends | 16.94 | 124 | 3.98 | 97 | <0.01 |
| Farmers market or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) | 3.42 | 25 | 4.02 | 98 | 0.46 |
| Relying on alternative sources of food | 13.66 | 100 | 7.50 | 183 | <0.01 |
| Household Income During COVID-19 | |||||
| $5,000 or less per year (or less than $417 per month) | 6.42 | 47 | 1.23 | 30 | <0.01 |
| $5,001–15,000 per year (or $417 – 1,250 per month) | 14.07 | 103 | 3.40 | 83 | |
| $15,001–25,000 per year (or $1,251 – 2,084 per month) | 13.80 | 101 | 5.13 | 125 | |
| $25,001–35,000 per year (or $2,085–2,917 per month) | 14.21 | 104 | 7.34 | 179 | |
| $35,001–45,000 per year (or $2,918–3,750 per month) | 12.84 | 94 | 8.16 | 199 | |
| $45,001–50,000 per year (or $3,751–4,167 per month) | 9.84 | 72 | 7.75 | 189 | |
| More than $50,000 per year (or more than $4,167 per month) | 24.45 | 179 | 61.17 | 1,492 | |
| Prefer not to answer | 4.37 | 32 | 5.82 | 142 | |
| Employment Status During COVID-19 | |||||
| Not employed- not looking for work | 4.23 | 31 | 4.72 | 115 | <0.01 |
| Not employed- looking for work | 4.37 | 32 | 1.39 | 34 | |
| Not employed- retired, disabled, a full-time homemaker/stay-at-home parent, or a full-time student | 7.24 | 53 | 9.80 | 239 | |
| Yes- employed in a temporary or seasonal job. | 5.33 | 39 | 3.57 | 87 | |
| Yes- employed year-round in a job for 1–10 h per week. | 5.87 | 43 | 3.12 | 76 | |
| Yes- employed year-round in a job for 11–29 h per week. | 14.75 | 108 | 10.33 | 252 | |
| Yes- employed year-round in a job for more than 30 h per week. | 52.60 | 385 | 61.42 | 1,498 | |
| Other employment status | 5.05 | 37 | 5.41 | 132 | |
| Prefer not to answer | 0.55 | 4 | 0.25 | 6 | |
| Health Conditions Reported During COVID-19 | Food Insecure | Food Secure | P | ||
| % | n | % | n | ||
| Overweight or obese | 44.93 | 328 | 31.35 | 764 | <0.01 |
| High blood pressure or hypertension | 23.29 | 170 | 21.99 | 536 | 0.46 |
| Prediabetes | 10.41 | 76 | 6.81 | 166 | <0.01 |
| High blood sugar, Type 1 diabetes, Type II diabetes | 7.67 | 56 | 4.72 | 115 | <0.01 |
| Gestational diabetes / diabetes during pregnancy | 3.56 | 26 | 2.05 | 50 | 0.02 |
| Metabolic syndrome | 2.88 | 21 | 1.68 | 41 | 0.04 |
| Heart condition such as a heart attack, angina, or congestive heart failure | 3.97 | 29 | 2.01 | 49 | <0.01 |
| Chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma | 9.18 | 67 | 5.95 | 145 | <0.01 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 1.10 | 8 | 0.53 | 13 | 0.10 |
| Chronic liver disease | 0.68 | 5 | 0.37 | 9 | 0.26 |
| Immunocompromised | 7.81 | 57 | 4.60 | 112 | <0.01 |
| Other health condition | 10.14 | 74 | 6.48 | 158 | <0.01 |
| No health conditions | 37.12 | 271 | 48.46 | 1181 | <0.01 |
| Prefer not to answer | 2.05 | 15 | 1.44 | 35 | 0.24 |