Professor Pediatrics Yale School of Medicine New Haven, Connecticut, United States
Background: Food insecurity as defined by the United States Food and Drug Administration, “the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable”, is a prevalent issue affecting approximately 10% of households and up to 27% of medical students in the Unites States. Food insecurity can impact academic success and overall health. Data on the prevalence of food insecurity among medical residents across specialties has not been previously reported. Such data can help inform interventions to assist residents in need. Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess food insecurity among medical residents across specialties in a large academic health center, Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH). Design/Methods: We developed an electronic survey, adapted from USDA’s food insecurity survey, and distributed to all 994 residents at YNHH from August 7, 2023, to present. The survey included questions assessing food insecurity, along with demographic information. Participation was voluntary and the study approved by the Yale IRB. All survey results were collected anonymously, and data collected is unidentifiable. Results: This is an ongoing study. Thus far, 110 residents have completed the survey (9% of all YNHH residents). The largest percentage of respondents were PGY1 (n=34; 31%) and the most common specialties among respondents were internal medicine (n=23; 21%) and surgical residents (n=22; 20%). Overall, 27% (30/110) of residents reported being food insecure: with 26% (29/110) of residents reporting having skipped or cut down on meal size, 22% (24/110)) frequently ate less, and 15% (17/110) reported feeling hungry because they lacked sufficient food.
Conclusion(s): This study is the first to demonstrates that food insecurity, prevalent during college and medical school, persists into residency. Our study is limited by a low response rate to date, and we do not know if the respondents are reflective of all residents. We are continuing to enroll participants and will analyze data further to inform possible targeted interventions.
