Food insecurity and hospitalisation rates

More than 50% of patients with high hospitalisation rates (at least three inpatient visits in a 12-month period) used community food resources such as food pantries, and 40% were worried that they would run out of food, according to a US study.

The article ‘Food Insecurity in Patients with High Hospital Utilization’, published in Population Health Management, reports that 30% of hospital “super-utilisers” — most of whom were hospitalised five or more times in 12 months — are food insecure and another 25% are only marginally food secure.

Authors from Einstein Healthcare Network and Treatment Research Institute and International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research also found that among the super-utilisers, 75% were unable to shop for food on their own and 58% were unable to prepare their own food.

“Food insecurity has a significant impact on health outcomes, particularly for people with conditions like diabetes, hypertension and renal disease. This study offers important insights for healthcare providers who are working to help vulnerable populations avoid hospitalisations,” said Editor-in-Chief David B Nash, MD, MBA, Professor, Jefferson College of Population Health.