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Research ArticleORIGINAL RESEARCH

Parent and Child Reports of Food Insecurity and Mental Health: Divergent Perspectives

Rachel Bernard, Rebecca Hammarlund, Mikki Bouquet, Taiwo Ojewole, Diane Kirby, Joseph Grizzaffi and Pamela McMahon
Ochsner Journal December 2018, 18 (4) 318-325; DOI: https://doi.org/10.31486/toj.18.0037
Rachel Bernard
Department of Pediatrics, Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital, Baton Rouge, LA
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Rebecca Hammarlund
Department of Psychiatry, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-Our Lady of the Lake, Baton Rouge, LA
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Mikki Bouquet
Department of Pediatrics, Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital, Baton Rouge, LA
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Taiwo Ojewole
Department of Pediatrics, Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital, Baton Rouge, LA
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Diane Kirby
Department of Pediatrics, Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital, Baton Rouge, LA
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Joseph Grizzaffi
Department of Psychiatry, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-Our Lady of the Lake, Baton Rouge, LA
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Pamela McMahon
Department of Pediatrics, Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital, Baton Rouge, LA
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  • For correspondence: pamela.mcmahon@fmolhs.org
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Article Figures & Data

Tables

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    Table 1. Comparison of Adults’ Perception of Children’s Behavior and Corresponding Child Self-Reported Survey Items
    Item TypeAdult Survey ItemChild Survey Item
    Food insecurity:
    adult self-report
    Within the past 12 months:N/A
    (a)I worried whether our food would run out before we got money to buy more.
    (b)the food we bought just didn’t last, and we didn’t have money to get more.
    Food insecurity:
    adult report for child vs child self-report
    Within the past 12 months, how often do you think the child:Think about the past year. How many times did you:
    1worried whether food would run out before the family got money to buy more?1get scared that your family would run out of food?
    N/A2run out of food at your house because of money?
    2ate less food than they wanted in order to help make the food supply last?3eat a smaller meal than you wanted to help save food?
    Think about how the child is every day. How often do you think the child feels the following things?Think about how you feel most days. How often do you feel each of these things?
    Food-related concerns3Worry that he/she won’t get to eat a meal.4I worry that I won’t get to eat a meal.
    4Can’t stop thinking about when he/she will eat.5I can’t stop thinking about when I will eat.
    5Hides food so that he/she can eat it later.6I hide food so that I can eat it later.
    Generalized anxiety symptoms6Worry that something bad will happen to him/her.7I worry that something bad will happen to me.
    7Has stomach pains when he/she is upset.8When I am upset, my stomach hurts.
    Obsessions and compulsions8Can’t get bad or silly thoughts out of his/her head.9I can’t get bad or silly thoughts out of my head.
    9Has to do some things over and over again.10I have to do some things over and over again.
    Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by the following problems?N/A
    Adult depression10I had little interest or pleasure in doing things.
    11I felt down, depressed, or hopeless.
    Over the last two weeks, how often do you think the child has been bothered by the following problems?Think about the past two weeks.
    Child depression12The child had little interest or pleasure in doing things.11How often did you feel like nothing is fun?
    13The child felt down, depressed, or hopeless.12How often did you feel sad or down?
    • N/A, not applicable

    • View popup
    Table 2. Demographic Characteristics of the Adult Sample
    VariableValue
    Age, years, mean ± SD37.4 ± 10.36
    Number of adults in household, mean ± SD1.24 ± 1.03
    Number of children in household, mean ± SD2.79 ± 1.30
    Relationship to child
     Mother51 (88)
     Grandmother5 (9)
     Father1 (2)
     Missing1 (2)
    Race
     African American44 (76)
     Caucasian8 (14)
     Other5 (9)
     Missing1 (2)
    Education level
     Master’s/doctoral degree2 (3)
     Bachelor’s degree8 (14)
     Some college28 (48)
     Other postsecondary training3 (5)
     High school diploma17 (29)
    Food assistance program
     None24 (41)
     WIC, SNAP, or both32 (55)
     Food bank only2 (3)
    Annual household income
     <$20,00024 (41)
     $20,000-$40,00023 (40)
     $40,001-$60,0007 (12)
     >$60,0012 (3)
     Missing2 (3)
    • Data are presented as n (%) unless otherwise indicated.

    • Total percentages are subject to rounding error.

    • SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; WIC, Women, Infants, and Children nutrition program.

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    Table 3. Comparison of Adult and Child Self-Reports of Food Insecurity, Worry, and Conservation Variables
    Survey VariableConcordance/NonconcordanceOverall, n (%)WIC/SNAP Users, n (%)WIC/SNAP Nonusers, n (%)
    Adult self-reported food insecurity status vs child self-reported food insecurity statusAdult-child agreement37 (64)20 (63)17 (65)
    Adult overestimate14 (24)9 (28)5 (19)
    Adult underestimate7 (12)3 (9)4 (15)
    Adult report of child food worry vs child self-reported food worryaAdult-child agreement34 (60)18 (56)16 (64)
    Adult overestimate8 (14)3 (9)5 (20)
    Adult underestimate15 (26)11 (34)4 (16)
    Adult report of child food conservation vs child self-reported food conservationa Adult-child agreement34 (60)16 (50)18 (72)
    Adult overestimate5 (9)5 (16)0 (0)
    Adult underestimate18 (32)11 (34)7 (28)
    • ↵a One data point is missing in the WIC/SNAP Nonusers group.

    • Total percentages are subject to rounding error.

    • SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; WIC, Women, Infants, and Children nutrition program.

    • View popup
    Table 4. Comparison of Adult and Child Self-Reports of Food-Related Concerns and Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
    Survey VariableConcordance/NonconcordanceOverall, n (%)WIC/SNAP Users, n (%)WIC/SNAP Nonusers, n (%)
    Food-related concernsaAdult-child agreement14 (25)5 (16)9 (36)
    Adult overestimate15 (27)11 (36)4 (16)
    Adult underestimate27 (48)15 (48)12 (48)
    Depression symptomsAdult-child agreement24 (41)12 (38)12 (46)
    Adult overestimate8 (14)5 (16)3 (12)
    Adult underestimate26 (45)15 (47)11 (42)
    Generalized anxiety symptomsa Adult-child agreement19 (34)9 (29)10 (40)
    Adult overestimate4 (7)3 (10)1 (4)
    Adult underestimate33 (59)19 (61)14 (56)
    OCD symptomsAdult-child agreement15 (26)6 (19)9 (35)
    Adult overestimate6 (10)5 (16)1 (4)
    Adult underestimate37 (64)21 (66)16 (62)
    • ↵a Data points are missing; valid percentages are reported.

    • Total percentages are subject to rounding error.

    • SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; WIC, Women, Infants, and Children nutrition program.

    • View popup
    Table 5. Comparison of Concerns and Symptoms in Children from Food Insecure vs Non–Food Insecure Homes
    Test Statistic
    Survey Variable, mean score ± SDChild-Reported Food InsecurityChild-Reported Non–Food InsecuritydftP Value
    Food-related concerns4.76 ± 1.574.11 ± 1.26Not significant
    Depression symptoms3.86 ± 1.892.72 ± 1.0343.4−2.85<0.01
    Generalized anxiety symptoms3.62 ± 1.012.79 ± 0.9955−3.14<0.01
    Obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms4.90 ± 1.573.41 ± 1.3256−3.89<0.001
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Parent and Child Reports of Food Insecurity and Mental Health: Divergent Perspectives
Rachel Bernard, Rebecca Hammarlund, Mikki Bouquet, Taiwo Ojewole, Diane Kirby, Joseph Grizzaffi, Pamela McMahon
Ochsner Journal Dec 2018, 18 (4) 318-325; DOI: 10.31486/toj.18.0037

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Parent and Child Reports of Food Insecurity and Mental Health: Divergent Perspectives
Rachel Bernard, Rebecca Hammarlund, Mikki Bouquet, Taiwo Ojewole, Diane Kirby, Joseph Grizzaffi, Pamela McMahon
Ochsner Journal Dec 2018, 18 (4) 318-325; DOI: 10.31486/toj.18.0037
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Keywords

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