ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3074-7140
Abstract
Limited information is available about the effects of food insecurity on adolescents’ long-term health risks from COVID-19. This quantitative, cross-sectional study aimed to examine the effects of food insecurity and family income level on the risk of long COVID-19 syndrome for adolescents (11 to 17 years old). An online survey (n = 298) was conducted with parents of adolescents from New York City, who were recruited from social media online advertisements. The research asked whether there is an association between food insecurity and family income level and the risks of long COVID-19 syndrome. Multivariate logistic regression found a statistically significant association between adolescents whose family income level was between $39,401 USD and $75,000 USD, and the following food insecurity variables: could not afford balanced meals (p = .024, OR = 3.220, 95% CI [1.163, 8.915]), ate less than they felt they should because not enough money for food (p = .035, OR = 3.814, 95% CI [1.097, 13.262]), and cut size of meals or skipped meals because not enough money for food (p = .019, OR = 13.368, 95% CI [1.504, 101.691]). The study found that social determinants of health (i.e., socioeconomic status or family income level) and food insecurity were significant predictors of adolescents’ risk of long COVID-19 syndrome. To reduce that risk, health interventions must be designed that use constructs of the health belief model to reduce food insecurity for lower-middle-class families of adolescents.
