Ostrom Workshop, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America.
Department of Geography, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2022 Sep 2;17(9):e0274020. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274020. eCollection 2022.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many aspects of our lives. Older adults, those with less income or fewer resources, and those living in rural parts of the United States are potentially more vulnerable. To understand the negative impact of COVID-19 on perceived food security, physical and mental health, and loneliness in a sample of older, rural, low-income adults in the United States, we use results from a mailed survey in which residents of four Indiana counties contrasted their status during the early period of the pandemic to their typical pre-pandemic status. We test for significant changes in status and what predicts negative impacts to food security, health, and loneliness. We asked respondents to report on both pre-pandemic and since-pandemic experiences in the instrument, which was administered after the pandemic had begun, in May 2020. We measure food security using the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module (six-item short form; HFSSM), physical and mental health using the Centers for Disease Control's Healthy Days Measures (HRQOL-4), and loneliness using the UCLA Revised Loneliness Scale. A binomial test identified significant declines in status for all three measures. Logistic regressions identified factors associated with each of the measures worsening. Fear of going to the store or food pantry was associated with all three measures. Decreased store hours and closed food pantries were associated with lower food security. More education, fewer years of age, being female, decreased income, and stockpiling were associated with more reported days of poor physical or mental health. Fewer years of age, lack of transportation, and eating less often with others were associated with perceived increased loneliness. The pandemic had a negative impact on respondents' food security, unhealthy days, and loneliness, but different factors were associated with each measure for this population. Our findings provide insight for targeted recovery efforts.
COVID-19 大流行对我们生活的许多方面都产生了影响。老年人、收入较低或资源较少的人以及居住在美国农村地区的人可能更容易受到影响。为了了解 COVID-19 对美国农村地区、低收入的老年人群体的感知粮食安全、身心健康和孤独感的负面影响，我们利用一项邮寄调查的结果，该调查比较了印第安纳州四个县的居民在大流行早期的状况与大流行前的典型状况。我们检验了状况的显著变化，以及哪些因素预测了粮食安全、健康和孤独感的负面影响。我们要求受访者在仪器中报告大流行前和大流行后的经历，该仪器于 2020 年 5 月在大流行开始后进行管理。我们使用美国家庭粮食安全调查模块（六项目短表；HFSSM）衡量粮食安全，使用疾病控制中心的健康日措施（HRQOL-4）衡量身心健康，使用加州大学洛杉矶分校修订后的孤独感量表衡量孤独感。二项式检验确定了所有三种措施的状况显著下降。逻辑回归确定了与每种措施恶化相关的因素。对去商店或食品储藏室的恐惧与所有三种措施都有关。商店营业时间减少和食品储藏室关闭与较低的粮食安全有关。受教育程度较高、年龄较小、女性、收入减少和囤货与更多报告的身体或心理健康不良天数有关。年龄较小、缺乏交通工具以及与他人一起进食频率较低与感知孤独感增加有关。大流行对受访者的粮食安全、不健康天数和孤独感产生了负面影响，但对于该人群，每个措施的相关因素不同。我们的研究结果为有针对性的恢复工作提供了参考。
