The Association Between Sociodemographic Factors, Participation in Assistance Programs, and Food Insecurity Among Oregon Residents

We measured food insecurity and investigated whether sociodemographics and assistance program use were associated with food insecurity in a random sample of working-age Oregonians (N = 343) using hierarchical logistic regression. About 14% of Oregonians were food insecure. Food insecurity was significantly associated with less education, unemployment, household income <$20,000, lack of homeownership, and paying >30% of income for housing. Having a household member who had used Social Security Insurance or frequented a food bank increased the odds of food insecurity, whereas Food Stamp Program participation decreased the odds of food insecurity. This study supports previous research linking food insecurity to human capital and economic factors and can inform public health programs and policies designed to lower food insecurity.