Doctoral Dissertation Research: Biosocial Consequences of Food Insecurity Among Chronic Disease Patients

Emory University, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

Amid a rise in chronic diseases, there is a pressing need to understand how social and economic inequalities impact disease management. As a fundamental human need, food provides one valuable window into these dynamics. The relationship between food insecurity and diet-related chronic disease is well-documented, yet the pathways that underlie this relationship remain poorly understood. This doctoral dissertation project aims to provide greater clarity on this relationship by exploring food as a vehicle of both nutritional and social significance in the everyday lives of individuals managing diet-related chronic disease. In addition to providing scientific training for a graduate student, this project involves cooperative institutional partnerships, which broaden scientific participation and allow for insights and data to be directly shared with those who shape clinical practice. The findings will be disseminated widely to academic and non-academic audiences, health and nutrition practitioners, and community organizations, with important implications for improving clinical practice, nutrition counseling, and food security efforts. Specifically, this research applies a biosocial theoretical lens to investigate 1) healthcare providers’ perceptions and practices related to food insecurity and diet; 2) meanings patients attribute to the lived experience of food insecurity; 3) patients' food access, preferences, and choices; and 4) the effects of these factors on patients’ health outcomes. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, including interviews with providers and patients, structured surveys, and biological measurements (height, weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and glycated hemoglobin), will be used to achieve these research aims. The study will be conducted in collaboration with a rural community health clinic. This combination of theoretical approaches and methods from nutrition and the social sciences provides a novel approach to the examination of food insecurity and chronic disease. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.