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Food Insecurity: Limitations of Emergency Food Resources for Our Patients

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Abstract

Rates of food insecurity are high among medically underserved patients. We analyzed food pantry responsiveness to the needs of medically ill cancer patients in New York City with the intent ofidentifying barriers to available food resources. Our data, collected from 60 pantries, suggest that the emergency food system is currently unable to accommodate patient needs. Accessibility issues include restricted service hours and documentation requirements. Food services were limited in quantity of food provided and the number of nutritious, palatable options. Additional emergency food resources and long-term approaches that provide ongoing food support to patients throughout their treatment period are needed.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Susan Hayes, Rebecca Litt, Amy Burth, Dianna Ng, Prabhjot Singh, Sarah Schaeffer, Luciana Vieira, and Harper Gany-Beitler for their assistance with data collection for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Department of Medicine, Center for Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Francesca Gany & Jennifer Leng

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Sehrish Bari

  3. New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Michael Crist & Natasha Rastogi

  4. New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York, NY, USA

    Alyssa Moran

Authors
  1. Francesca Gany
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  2. Sehrish Bari
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  3. Michael Crist
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  4. Alyssa Moran
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  5. Natasha Rastogi
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  6. Jennifer Leng
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jennifer Leng.

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Gany, F., Bari, S., Crist, M. et al. Food Insecurity: Limitations of Emergency Food Resources for Our Patients. J Urban Health 90, 552–558 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-012-9750-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-012-9750-2

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