The Intersection Between Food Insecurity, Tobacco Use, and Upstream Factors: Where Can We Go From Here?
Implementation Science and Practice Advances Research Center (iSPARC)
Improving mental and behavioral health services for better lives and stronger communities
Food insecurity – or insufficient access to the amount of affordable, nutritious foods needed to live an active and healthy lifestyle – affects approximately 42.4 million people in the U.S. and can lead to poor health outcomes such as heart disease and diabetes. Despite a decline in rates in recent decades, tobacco use, especially cigarette smoking, remains a leading cause of death and preventable diseases in the U.S.
Though they may seem unrelated, research suggests that these phenomena are intertwined and may be addressed more equitably and effectively if targeted together rather than separately. A recent Psychiatry Issue Brief, published in December 2023 and authored by researchers Colleen McKay , Nana Yaa Marfo and Project Manager Noriasha Mensah at the Implementation Science and Practice Advances Research Center (iSPARC) at UMass Chan Medical School discusses the relationship between food insecurity and tobacco use including who they impact, how they impact health, and how upstream factors like transportation and housing can exacerbate their consequences.
The brief then provides considerations for addressing these health concerns including:
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The city of Worcester, Massachusetts is used as a case example to demonstrate what is possible and suggest strategies that policymakers and other stakeholders can implement to address upstream factors associated with food insecurity and tobacco use.
The issue brief concludes by sharing various strategies and solutions that Worcester, MA has developed to address food insecurity and other health concerns. Local governments and community agencies in other locations can utilize these solutions detailed in the brief to implement policies that address food insecurity and upstream factors to help people out of poverty and help them lead healthier lives. Improving transportation options, removing language barriers, and providing access to tobacco cessation aids and healthcare in the neighborhoods and communities that need it most may help increase equity and access to care. Focusing on the needs of diverse populations by delivering culturally relevant foods, nutrition programs, and healthcare to people where these populations live in the community may address transportation barriers. Strategies for addressing low SEP through opportunities for employment and education, and job preparation can support approaches designed to address food insecurity and help people obtain the skills needed to earn a living wage and avoid poverty.
To read the full research brief: https://repository.escholarship.umassmed.edu/handle/20.500.14038/52856
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