Unseen Effect of Food Insecurity on Hospital Stays and Readmissions

Discover how food insecurity during a child's hospital stay impacts health outcomes and readmission rates.

Food insecurity, which is defined as the restricted or inconsistent supply of safe, nutrient-dense food, is linked to poor health outcomes and a higher demand for medical care.

Food insecurity affects 10.2% of American households, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service. Food insecurity is significantly worse in families with children, accounting for 12.5%.

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‘Inpatient #food_insecurity is linked to longer #hospital stays and higher chances of readmission. #medindia ’

According to a recent study by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, caregivers who experience inpatient food insecurity during their child's hospital stay are more likely to be readmitted and have longer hospital stays.

This study was published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics ().

“A child’s hospitalization can generate financial, social and personal stressors for caregivers,” said Leila H. DeWitt. “But little is known about how inpatient food insecurity can impact hospital outcomes.”

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Measuring Inpatient Food Insecurity Through Caregiver Survey

For the study, the research team collected data from 9,325 hospital encounters between May 2022 and December 2023 at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Brenner Children’s Hospital.

They conducted a three-question survey of caregivers to assess inpatient food insecurity. The survey included the following questions:

Did you eat less than you felt you should during your child’s hospitalization?
Did you feel hungry but did not eat due to lack of money for food?
Did you skip meals due to a lack of money for food?

A “yes” response to one or more of the questions resulted in a positive screen for inpatient food insecurity. Caregivers who screened positive were also provided meals during admission.

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Effect of Food Insecurity on Hospital Stays and Readmission

In addition to screening for inpatient food insecurity, caregivers were also screened for household food insecurity via a commonly used two-question screening tool.

The research team found that 8% of caregivers were positive for inpatient food insecurity, and 6% were positive for household food insecurity.

Almost half (40%) of those who screened positive for inpatient food insecurity screened negative for household food insecurity.

Finally, participants with inpatient food insecurity had a 2.4-day longer length of stay in the hospital and 1.8 times higher odds of readmission within 30 days.

“These findings indicate the importance of screening specifically for inpatient food insecurity,” DeWitt said. “Identifying caregivers who need additional support will improve health and reduce disparities in-hospital outcomes.”

Reference:

Inpatient Food Insecurity and Outcomes of Pediatric Hospitalizations- (https:jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2823471)

Source-Eurekalert