Food insecurity and mental health during the COVID‐19 pandemic in cystic fibrosis households

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted many households due to shelter-in-place orders and economic hardship. People with cystic fibrosis (CF) experienced increased food insecurity compared to the general population before the pandemic, even though adequate food access is needed to maintain nutrition goals associated with improved health-related outcomes. Little is known about the impact the pandemic had on the food insecurity of people with CF and their families.Objective: To investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted food insecurity, mental health, and self-care in people with CF.Methods: Adults with CF and parents/guardians of children with CF were recruited via social media to complete online questionnaires from May 2020 to February 2021. Questionnaires in English and Spanish included USDA 2-question food insecurity screening, Patient Health Questionnaire-4 for mental health screening, and directed questions on the impact of the pandemic.Results: Of 372 respondents, 21.8% of the households experienced food insecurity during the pandemic compared to 18.8% prepandemic (p < .001). More food insecure patients with CF reported weight loss (32.1% vs. 13.1%, p < .001), worse airway clearance adherence (13.6% vs. 5.8%, p < .01), and worse medication adherence (12.4% vs. 1.7%, p < .01) compared to food secure patients.Food insecure subjects were more likely to have an abnormal mental health screen compared to food secure subjects (53.1% vs. 16.2%, p < .001). Conclusion:Food insecurity increased in the CF population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Food insecure subjects reported worse mental health and self-care during the pandemic compared to food secure subjects.

The COVID-19 pandemic and mental health in Kazakhstan

“…Stress levels, a potential contributor to poor mental health, have been found to increase as food insecurity deteriorates (Rahman et al, 2021). Other studies have found that the number of households experiencing food insecurity has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic (Lim et al, 2022). Moreover, food-insecure subjects were more likely to have an abnormal mental health screen compared to food-secure subjects (Lim et al, 2022).…”

Experiences and Perspectives of Individuals with Cystic Fibrosis and Their Families Related to Food Insecurity

“…Another important factor that most participants felt contributed significantly to their FI was the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to unprecedented levels of FI due to increased food prices, disrupted community support networks, increased rates of unemployment and school/daycare closures [24,25]. The pandemic has also led to increased reports of worse mental health and self-care in food-insecure persons with CF [26]. The CFF recently conducted a national survey to assess trends in FI screening and interventions prior to and during the pandemic.…”

Screening for food insecurity and mental health needs during the early days of the COVID‐19 pandemic: A patient experience project to meet an urgent clinical need

“…2 Both food insecurity and mental health are areas of emphasis in the cystic fibrosis (CF) community, 3,4 and previous research suggests that people with CF experienced higher rates of food insecurity and worsening mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. 5 This is particularly concerning because food insecurity among people with CF was linked to worse health outcomes before the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that the pandemic likely exacerbated already existing challenges. 3,6 We describe a clinical program, developed and deployed at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, to identify and support families at-risk for food insecurity and mental health concerns related to the pandemic.…”