Household food insecurity positively associated with increased hospital charges for infants
Originally posted by the Journal of Applied Research on Children, a publication of the Children at Risk Institute. ABSTRACT Objective: To test whether household food insecurity (HFI) was associated with total annual hospitalization charges, annual days hospitalized, and charges per day, among low-income infants (months) with any non-neonatal hospital stays. Methods: Administrative inpatient hospital charge […]
Homelessness During Infancy: Associations With Infant and Maternal Health and Hardship Outcomes
Abstract • Objective: Homelessness among children is correlated with developmental delays, fair or poor health, and high healthcare utilization (AAP, 2013). Associations of homelessness specifically among infants younger than 12 months, however, are unknown. This study evaluates homelessness during infancy as a risk for adverse infant and maternal health and hardship. • Methods: From May […]
Successes, Challenges, and Considerations for Integrating Referral into Food Insecurity Screening in Pediatric Settings
Food insecurity, lack of access to enough food for an active and healthy life, is associated with poor child health. Three pediatric clinics implemented a two- question food insecurity screening of 7,284 families with children younger than five years. Over one thousand (1,133, 15.6%) reported food insecurity and 630 (55.6%) were referred to a benefits […]
Emergency Department Experience with Novel Electronic Medical Record Order for Referral to Food Resources
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as “limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways”. Food insecurity is prevalent in the U.S., affecting 12.7% of the population in 2016. The impact of food insecurity can be […]
Unstable Housing and Caregiver and Child Health in Renter Families
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate how 3 forms of housing instability relate to caregiver and child health among low-income renter households. METHODS: Caregivers of children 0 to 48 months of age were interviewed in 5 urban medical centers from May 2009 to December 2015. Caregivers reported on the following: caregiver health, maternal depressive symptoms, child’s health, lifetime […]
Can Food Insecurity Be Reduced in the United States by Improving SNAP, WIC, and the Community Eligibility Provision?
Adequate nutrition is essential to children’s rapidly developing brains and bodies. Lack of resources can lead to inadequate access to sufficient food (food insecurity). Fortunately, the United States has programs to provide children and families with nutritional support. Using simulation modeling, we identify three policies that ensure young children have reliable access to food. (i) […]
Screening for Food Insecurity: Short-Term Alleviation and Long-Term Prevention
This AJPH editorial focuses on the importance of screening patients for food insecurity in clinical settings using the Hunger Vital Sign, and the evidence-based household-level interventions that can alleviate the condition. More specifically, we address the questions that have arisen regarding the necessity of asking both Hunger Vital Sign questions when one might suffice, whether […]
Mothers’ Adverse Childhood Experiences and Their Young Children’s Development
Introduction This study examined how mothers’ Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) relate to their children’s developmental risk and assessed how the association is mediated through mothers’ depressive symptoms and fair/poor health. Methods Mothers of children aged between 4 months and 4 years were recruited from the emergency department of a children’s hospital between March 2012 and […]