The impact of food insecurity on healthcare access in New Jersey

Presentation Type

Abstract

Faculty Advisor

Sze Yan Liu

Access Type

Event

Start Date

25-4-2025 12:00 PM

End Date

25-4-2025 1:00 PM

Description

Food insecurity is a significant public health barrier to accessing healthcare and affordable nutritious food for many New Jersey residents. This study examines the association between food insecurity and two healthcare access outcomes: the inability to see a doctor due to cost and the length of time since a routine checkup. Data used was collected through an online pilot survey administered in Fall 2023 where 26.1% of respondents overall reported experiencing food insecurity. In two logistic regression models, the associations were adjusted for income, education, gender, and race. It was found that individuals experiencing food insecurity were significantly associated with higher odds of needing but being unable to afford a doctor’s visit (adjusted OR = 38.95, 95% CI = 2.35, 645.49) but was not significantly associated with having gone more than a year without a routine checkup (adjusted OR = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.06, 2.57). The findings highlight the need for policies that address food insecurity as a means to improve healthcare access in New Jersey.

Comments

Poster presentation at the 2025 Student Research Symposium.

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Apr 25th, 12:00 PM Apr 25th, 1:00 PM

The impact of food insecurity on healthcare access in New Jersey

Food insecurity is a significant public health barrier to accessing healthcare and affordable nutritious food for many New Jersey residents. This study examines the association between food insecurity and two healthcare access outcomes: the inability to see a doctor due to cost and the length of time since a routine checkup. Data used was collected through an online pilot survey administered in Fall 2023 where 26.1% of respondents overall reported experiencing food insecurity. In two logistic regression models, the associations were adjusted for income, education, gender, and race. It was found that individuals experiencing food insecurity were significantly associated with higher odds of needing but being unable to afford a doctor’s visit (adjusted OR = 38.95, 95% CI = 2.35, 645.49) but was not significantly associated with having gone more than a year without a routine checkup (adjusted OR = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.06, 2.57). The findings highlight the need for policies that address food insecurity as a means to improve healthcare access in New Jersey.