Unit-Based Correlates of Marginal Food Insecurity Among US Soldiers.

IF 3 4区医学 Q2 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH Public Health Reports Pub Date : 2024-11-19 DOI:10.1177/00333549241294226

Alison D Krattiger, Paul D Bliese, Amy B Adler

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Abstract

Objectives: Although studies have addressed food insecurity among veterans, few have focused on active-duty soldiers or on variables associated with the military occupational context. We examined the link between marginal food insecurity (defined as anxiety over food sufficiency or shortage of food in the house) among US soldiers and demographic, behavioral health, and unit-related factors.

Methods: We analyzed survey data from 6343 active-duty soldiers using χ² tests, generalized linear mixed-effect models, and adjusted odds ratios (AORs) to identify significant differences between soldiers categorized as marginally food insecure versus those who were not.

Results: In a fully adjusted model taking unit into account, marginal food insecurity was associated with preferring not to report gender (vs reporting being male) (AOR = 1.39; 95% CI, 1.08-1.78), being married/in a relationship (vs being single) (AOR = 1.22; 95% CI, 1.06-1.40), junior enlisted rank (vs noncommissioned officer: AOR = 0.45; 95% CI, 0.37-0.54; and vs officer: AOR = 0.13; 95% CI, 0.09-0.19), less time in unit (vs more time) (AOR = 0.99; 95% CI, 0.99-1.00), screening positive for depression (vs not) (AOR = 2.67; 95% CI, 2.30-3.11), screening positive for hazardous drinking (vs not) (AOR = 1.34; 95% CI, 1.11-1.63), and lack of reported unit-related social support (vs support) (AOR = 0.52; 95% CI, 0.45-0.59).

Conclusions: In this sample, more than 1 in 5 US soldiers reported marginal food insecurity. In addition to supporting households with financial and food assistance and targeting junior enlisted personnel, policy makers and leaders should prioritize soldiers who are married or in a relationship, who are new to their unit, and who screen positive for depression and hazardous drinking, and they should encourage units to take care of unit members who need support. Policy makers and leaders can use these study results to direct prevention and early intervention initiatives.

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美军士兵边际粮食不安全的单位相关因素。

目的：尽管已有研究探讨了退伍军人的食物不安全问题，但很少有研究关注现役士兵或与军事职业背景相关的变量。我们研究了美国士兵中边缘性食物不安全（定义为对家中食物充足或短缺感到焦虑）与人口、行为健康和部队相关因素之间的联系：我们使用χ2检验、广义线性混合效应模型和调整后的几率比（AORs）分析了6343名现役士兵的调查数据，以确定被归类为边缘性食物不安全的士兵与非边缘性食物不安全的士兵之间的显著差异：在考虑到单位因素的完全调整模型中，边际粮食不安全与以下因素相关：不愿意报告性别（与报告男性相比）（AOR = 1.39；95% CI，1.08-1.78）、已婚/有伴侣（与单身相比）（AOR = 1.22；95% CI，1.06-1.40）、初级士兵军衔（与士官相比，AOR = 0.45；95% CI，1.06-1.40）：AOR = 0.45；95% CI，0.37-0.54；vs 军官：11）、危险饮酒筛查阳性（与未筛查阳性相比）（AOR = 1.34；95% CI，1.11-1.63）、缺乏单位相关社会支持（与支持相比）（AOR = 0.52；95% CI，0.45-0.59）：在该样本中，每 5 名美国士兵中就有 1 人以上报告了边缘性粮食不安全问题。除了为家庭提供经济和食品援助以及针对初级士兵提供支持外，政策制定者和领导者还应该优先考虑已婚或恋爱中的士兵、新到部队的士兵以及抑郁和危险饮酒筛查呈阳性的士兵，他们还应该鼓励部队照顾需要支持的部队成员。决策者和领导者可以利用这些研究结果来指导预防和早期干预措施。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Public Health Reports 医学-公共卫生、环境卫生与职业卫生

CiteScore

5.00

自引率

6.10%

发文量

164

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： Public Health Reports is the official journal of the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General and the U.S. Public Health Service and has been published since 1878. It is published bimonthly, plus supplement issues, through an official agreement with the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health. The journal is peer-reviewed and publishes original research and commentaries in the areas of public health practice and methodology, original research, public health law, and public health schools and teaching. Issues contain regular commentaries by the U.S. Surgeon General and executives of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health. The journal focuses upon such topics as tobacco control, teenage violence, occupational disease and injury, immunization, drug policy, lead screening, health disparities, and many other key and emerging public health issues. In addition to the six regular issues, PHR produces supplemental issues approximately 2-5 times per year which focus on specific topics that are of particular interest to our readership. The journal''s contributors are on the front line of public health and they present their work in a readable and accessible format.