Characteristics of Households of People With Diabetes Accessing US Food Pantries: Implications for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the associations between food insecurity (FI) and coping strategies of relevance to diabetes self-management among households of people with diabetes (HHDM) who access US food pantry programs. Methods The authors conducted a secondary data analysis of HHDM accessing US food pantry programs from the Hunger in America 2014 study ( n = 16 826). Weighted analyses included descriptive statistics for household sociodemographics, food pantry service utilization, FI, and coping behaviors. The authors used chi-square and logistic regression to estimate the relationship between FI and coping behaviors. Results Nearly one-half of HHDM reported visiting food pantries at least 6 times in the past year. Most HHDM were FI, with the majority experiencing the most severe form of FI. Over one-fifth of households reported lacking health insurance. The majority of HHDM reported purchasing inexpensive unhealthy foods to ensure household food adequacy, and many reported watering down food and beverages. The odds of reporting these behaviors significantly increased as FI worsened. Conclusion Food pantries represent an opportunity for the delivery of community-based diabetes self-management education and support programs. These programs should be adapted to address population barriers to self-management and to support access to healthful foods and medical care.