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Food Insecurity, Depression, and Social Support in HIV-Infected Hispanic Individuals

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Abstract

Previous research has identified an association between food insecurity and depression in a variety of world regions in both healthy and HIV-infected individuals. We examined this association in 183 HIV-infected Hispanic adults from the greater Boston area. We measured depression with the Burnam depression screen and food insecurity with the Radimer/Cornell Questionnaire. Dietary intake was assessed with an adapted version of the Block Food Frequency Questionnaire. Logistic regression models were created with depression as the outcome variable and food insecurity as the main predictor. In bivariate analyses, food insecurity was significantly associated with depression [odds ratio (OR) 2.5; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.1, 5.5; p = 0.03]. When we accounted for social support, food insecurity was no longer significant. We found no differences in the quality or quantity of dietary intake between the food insecure and food secure groups. Our findings highlight the importance of social support in the association between food insecurity and depression. Food insecurity may reflect social support more than actual dietary intake in this population.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA11598 and DA14501), the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DK5734-07), the Center for AIDS Research (1-P308142853) and the Center for Metabolic Research on HIV and Drug Use (5P30DA013868-02). The Clinical and Translational Research Center of the Tufts Medical Center, Boston, is supported by the Division of Research Resources of the National Institutes of Health (M01-RR00054, 1UL1 RR025752-01). We thank Dr. Olaf Dammann for his comments on the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

Leonid Kapulsky, Dr. Alice Tang, and Dr. Forrester declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA, 02111, USA

    Leonid Kapulsky, Alice M. Tang & Janet E. Forrester

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  1. Leonid Kapulsky
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  2. Alice M. Tang
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  3. Janet E. Forrester
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Correspondence to Janet E. Forrester.

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Kapulsky, L., Tang, A.M. & Forrester, J.E. Food Insecurity, Depression, and Social Support in HIV-Infected Hispanic Individuals. J Immigrant Minority Health 17, 408–413 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-014-0076-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-014-0076-x

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