Krattiger Alison D, Bliese Paul D, Adler Amy B
Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, USA.
Public Health Rep. 2024 Nov 19:333549241294226. doi: 10.1177/00333549241294226.
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.
We analyzed survey data from 6343 active-duty soldiers using χ 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.
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).
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.
尽管已有研究探讨了退伍军人中的粮食不安全问题，但很少有研究关注现役军人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粮食不安全（定义为对食物充足性的焦虑或家中食物短缺）与人口统计学、行为健康及单位相关因素之间的联系。
我们使用χ检验、广义线性混合效应模型和调整后的优势比（AOR）分析了6343名现役军人的调查数据，以确定被归类为边缘性粮食不安全的士兵与未被归类为边缘性粮食不安全的士兵之间的显著差异。
在一个充分考虑单位因素的调整模型中，边缘性粮食不安全与以下因素相关：不愿报告性别（相对于报告为男性）（AOR = 1.39；95%CI，1.08 - 1.78）、已婚/有伴侣（相对于单身）（AOR = 1.22；95%CI，1.06 - 1.40）、初级入伍军衔（相对于士官：AOR = 0.45；95%CI，0.37 - 0.54；相对于军官：AOR = 0.13；95%CI，0.09 - 0.19）、在单位的时间较短（相对于较长）（AOR = 0.99；95%CI，0.99 - 1.00）、抑郁筛查呈阳性（相对于未呈阳性）（AOR = 2.67；95%CI，2.30 - 3.11）、有害饮酒筛查呈阳性（相对于未呈阳性）（AOR = 1.34；95%CI，1.11 - 1.63）以及报告缺乏单位相关社会支持（相对于有支持）（AOR = 0.52；95%CI，0.45 - 0.59）。
在这个样本中，超过五分之一的美国士兵报告有边缘性粮食不安全。除了通过经济和粮食援助支持家庭并以初级入伍人员为目标外，政策制定者和领导者应优先关注已婚或有伴侣、新到单位、抑郁和有害饮酒筛查呈阳性的士兵，并应鼓励单位照顾需要支持的单位成员。政策制定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举措。
