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The Association between Stressful Events and Food Insecurity: Cross-Sectional Evidence from Australia

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  • Jeromey B. Temple

    (Demography and Ageing Unit, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia)

Abstract

A considerable body of empirical evidence exists on the demographic and socio-economic correlates of food insecurity in Australia. An important omission from recent studies, however, is an understanding of the role of stressful life events, or stressors in explaining exposure to food insecurity. Using nationally representative data from the 2014 General Social Survey and multivariable logistic regression, this paper reports on the association between 18 discrete stressors and the likelihood of reporting food insecurity in Australia. The results, adjusted for known correlates of food insecurity and complex survey design, show that exposure to stressors significantly increased the likelihood of experiencing food insecurity. Importantly, stressors related to employment and health approximately doubled the odds of experiencing food insecurity. The results underscore the complex correlates of food insecurity and indicates that conceptually it interacts with many important social and economic problems in contemporary Australia. There is no simple fix to food insecurity and solutions require co-ordination across a range of social and economic policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeromey B. Temple, 2018. "The Association between Stressful Events and Food Insecurity: Cross-Sectional Evidence from Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-15, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:11:p:2333-:d:177591
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    Cited by:

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    2. Leisa McCarthy & Anne B. Chang & Julie Brimblecombe, 2018. "Food Security Experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Families with Young Children in An Urban Setting: Influencing Factors and Coping Strategies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-22, November.
    3. Christina Mary Pollard & Timothy John Landrigan & Jennie Margaret Gray & Lockie McDonald & Helen Creed & Sue Booth, 2021. "Using the Food Stress Index for Emergency Food Assistance: An Australian Case Series Analysis during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Natural Disasters," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-15, June.
    4. Otto Lenhart, 2023. "The earned income tax credit and food insecurity," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 105(5), pages 1543-1570, October.
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    6. Miriam Manboard & Cassandra M. Johnson & Hannah Thornton & Lesli Biediger-Friedman, 2021. "The HOME Study: Understanding How College Students at a Hispanic Serving Institution Coped with Food Insecurity in a Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-14, October.
    7. Tahna L. Pettman & Carmel Williams & Sue Booth & Deborah Wildgoose & Christina M. Pollard & John Coveney & Julie-Anne McWhinnie & Marian McAllister & Carolyn Dent & Rory Spreckley & Jonathan D. Buckle, 2022. "A Food Relief Charter for South Australia—Towards a Shared Vision for Pathways Out of Food Insecurity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-16, June.
    8. Meron Lewis & Lisa-Maree Herron & Mark D. Chatfield & Ru Chyi Tan & Alana Dale & Stephen Nash & Amanda J. Lee, 2023. "Healthy Food Prices Increased More Than the Prices of Unhealthy Options during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Concurrent Challenges to the Food System," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-17, February.
    9. Christina M Pollard & Sue Booth, 2019. "Food Insecurity and Hunger in Rich Countries—It Is Time for Action against Inequality," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-13, May.

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