Citation

Lee J, Pak TY. Int. J. Public Health 2023; 68: e1605618.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.3389/ijph.2023.1605618

PMID

37342679

PMCID

PMC10277513

Abstract

OBJECTIVEs : This study aimed to explore longitudinal associations between food insecurity and suicidal ideation, and the moderating roles of intervention programs.

METHODS: Data were derived from the 2012-2019 waves of the Korean Welfare Panel Study. Participants aged  ≥ 65 at baseline (n = 4,425) and their annual follow-up measurements for a mean of 6.58 years were included. Conditional fixed effects logistic regressions were used to test 1) associations between food insecurity and the onset of suicidal ideation; 2); whether associations were attenuated by food assistance and income support programs.

RESULTS: Food insecurity was associated with higher odds of suicidal ideation in the full sample (OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.37-2.29), among women (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.24-2.26) and men (OR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.25-3.40). The association between food insecurity and suicidal ideation was attenuated by participation in home-delivered meal services (OR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.21-0.88).

CONCLUSION: Food insecure older adults were more likely to consider committing suicide than their food secure counterparts. Food assistance through home-delivered meal services, but not other intervention programs, could weaken this link.

Language: en

Keywords

suicidal ideation; food insecurity; income support; meal delivery; seniors