Global Food Insecurity and African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) Populations During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Rapid Review

Abstract

Background The global food insecurity reinforces the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on human health and mortality. Although literature remained sparse, reports indicated that food insecurity is disproportionately high among African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) population since the outset of COVID-19. Hence, we assessed the food insecurity conditions of ACB populations globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Comprehensive searches in CINAHL, Medline (Ovid), PubMed (Medline), Food Science and Technology Abstracts, SCOPUS, EMBASE, AMED, CAB Abstracts, Cochrane Library (OVID), and PsycINFO were carried out. Title/abstract and full-text screening, quality appraisal (modified JBI QARI), and data extraction were carried out by double reviewers. Results The initial search yielded 354 articles. After removal of duplicates and irrelevant articles, a full-text review and critical appraisal, 9 papers were included in the study. After data extraction and synthesis, six major themes emerged from the analysis: increased food insecurity, adverse health outcomes of food insecurity, exacerbation of existing disparities, systemic inequities and adverse policies, racism, and sociocultural response and solutions. Conclusion/implications The study showed that COVID-19 had exacerbated food insecurity and other health disparities within racialized populations including ACB people, due to systemic anti-Black racism; inadequate representation in decision-making; and issues of cultural appropriateness and competency of health services. While sociocultural response by ACB people through the expansion of their social capital is imperative, specific policies easing access to food, medicine, and shelter for racialized communities will ensure equity while reducing global food insecurity and health crises during the COVID-19 pandemic. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40615-021-00973-1.

Barriers to COVID-19 Health Products in Low-and Middle-Income Countries During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Rapid Systematic Review and Evidence Synthesis

“…These measures (though arguably theoretically sound), have also been impractical for various segments of populations across the world, fundamentally due to access inequities in various settings from a lack of adequate housing conditions and facilities or residence in overcrowded slums/housing shelters, poor access to power supply and electricity, to a lack of clean water or hand sanitizers and poor access to safe and improved WASH facilities (17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22). The health and economic consequences of COVID-19 have also exacerbated food insecurity and inequities in access to education and finance globally, especially in resource-constrained settings (23)(24)(25)(26).…”

Food Security as Ethics and Social Responsibility: An Application of the Food Abundance Index in an Urban Setting

“…A major contribution of this work is to present a new multi-dimensional measure of food insecurity that strengthens the link between the level of food security as both an ethical and social responsibility issue. We suggest that the adoption and utilization of data produced by the FAI offers a number of policy and management implications to help bring about sustainable social change in the food supply chain and address this as a wicked social problem [ 46 ].…”

Racial Health Disparities and Black Heterogeneity in COVID-19: A Case Study of Miami Gardens

“…Mental health disparities, in turn, can be attributed to socioeconomic challenges and difficulties in accessing care, which may ultimately result in more perpetual, lasting mental health impacts ( Saltzman et al 2021 ). Globally, COVID-19 has exacerbated health disparities among the African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) populations owing to their lack of representation in decision-making and factors pertaining to cultural competency and appropriateness in health care ( Dabone et al 2022 ). In their retrospective ecological study, Chaudhuri et al (2021) found that minority ethnic groups (including Black ethnic minorities) experienced a greater risk of developing COVID-19 and poorer outcomes than their White counterparts.…”