Food insecurity among psychiatric patients and welfare clients in Israel

Background: Twenty-two percent of households in Israel experience food insecurity, and it is especially widespread in socio-economically distressed strata. Although their low socio-economic status renders psychiatric patients at risk for food insecurity, this issue has thus far been ignored in both practice and research. Objective: To explore food insecurity among psychiatric patients in comparison with welfare-services clients in order to raise awareness of food insecurity in this population. Method: 114 respondents were recruited from among patients admitted to the emergency room and hospitalized in a mental health center in Beer Sheva; 555 respondents were recruited from among low-income clients of welfare service agencies in the Beer Sheva area. All respondents were surveyed with a self-report questionnaire and with the Food Security Core Survey Module (FSCSM). Results: Forty percent of psychiatric patients and 59% of welfare-services clients reported food insecurity. The use of formal and informal support systems was lower among food-insecure psychiatric patients than among food-insecure welfare clients. Conclusions: Psychiatric patients appear to be a risk population for food insecurity; therefore planned interventions and specific food programs are called for.