Screening for food insecurity in the primary care setting: Type of visit matters

In 2018 over 11% of American households experienced food insecurity (FI), a condition of limited or uncertain access to food, putting those individuals at higher risk of chronic diseases including diabetes, obesity, depression, and hypertension.

Primary care providers can help address patients’ FI, but screening protocols vary widely, and standards of practice have not been identified. The likelihood that a patient will screen positively for FI may depend on the setting, timing, and format in which screening is performed. Many clinics screen for FI at annual health maintenance exams (HME), even though socioeconomically disadvantaged groups are less likely to attend routine health checks.

We performed a retrospective cohort study to evaluate disparities in FI screening and prevalence based on visit type and patient demographics at a community health center serving low-income patients in Southeast Michigan.