The importance of social financial support in reducing food insecurity among elderly people

Abstract

AbstractThe growing number of elderly people who are at increased risk of food insecurity for a variety of reasons, including financial ones, requires the current situation to be monitored. The purpose of this research was therefore to determine: (1) how older people perceive their situation in terms of food security; (2) whether older people use any form of external financial support; and (3) the relationship between people’s perception of their food security and the use of financial support from social services and their family. The survey was conducted on a group of 1150 people aged 65 years and above at the end of 2018 and the beginning of 2019. In total, 762 questionnaires were analysed for the study. The study was conducted in the Świętokrzyskie and Śląskie voivodeships (provinces). Multivariate correspondence analysis (MCA) and the chi-square test were used to compare qualitative variables describing food security, financial assistance and socio-demographic features. Over two thirds of the respondents declared that they had no need of financial assistance from the social services or their family. Two categories of variables were selected using the MCA method: people who declared that their household had food security and that they had no need for financial assistance from social services or their family, and people who said they did not have food security and simultaneously used financial assistance or did not use such assistance but had financial problems. Place of residence and household composition were features that significantly distinguished the opinions about the lack of food security. Financial social programmes and the social education of families should be improved to minimize the risk of food insecurity in households of elderly people, especially those not benefiting from financial social support.