Food Insecurity Rates and its Related Factors in the State of Ohio

Food insecurity is an ongoing issue across Ohio counties, influenced by socioeconomic factors, geographical location, and age and ethnic demographics. This study explores food insecurity rates from 2016 to 2023, comparing urban and rural counties, various social determinants of health, such as income, education, and age, and exploring correlations with racial and ethnic demographics. Using data from the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps database, statistical analyses revealed key findings that food insecurity was not significantly different when comparing rural versus urban counties in Ohio. The most significant predictor to food insecurity in 2023 was median household income, followed by percent of high school completion, percent of individuals 65 and older, percent of individuals under 18, while a not significant predictor was individuals with some college completion. Mean food insecurity rates significantly increased in Ohio between 2016 and 2023. Food insecurity was inversely correlated to Hispanic populations, directly correlated to NA/AN populations, and had no significant correlation with Black and non-Hispanic White populations in 2023. These results align with current literature in median household income, high-school completion level, age-related vulnerabilities, and NA/AN disparities in food insecurity, while challenging trends in rural versus urban counties, and with ethnic disparities of Hispanic populations. Limitations included in this research was the use of aggregate county-level data, and limited data on the effects of COVID-19 on food insecurity rates within this analysis. These findings warrant further exploration on current policies, interventions, and relationships to food insecurity within Ohio.