Food security status and associated factors among cash-beneficiary and non-beneficiary women in the urban productive safety net program in Gondar City, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract Background In Ethiopia and other low- and middle-income nations, food insecurity is still a serious public health issue, especially for women who are of reproductive age. Food security and dietary diversity are commonly measured using the Food Consumption Score (FCS). There is, however, no data comparing the food security situation of cash users and non-beneficiaries of the Urban Productive Safety Net Program (UPSNP). The purpose of this study was to evaluate these groups’ levels of food security and related variables in Gondar City, Northwest Ethiopia. Method From May to July 2025, 720 women participated in a community-based comparative cross-sectional study (364 beneficiaries and 356 non-beneficiaries). Simple random sampling was employed after a multistage sampling process. A standardized questionnaire based on World Food Programme guidelines was used to gather data. The Food Consumption Score was used to quantify food security status, which was then divided into three categories: poor, borderline, and acceptable. To find related factors, ordinal logistic regression was employed. 95% confidence intervals were used to determine statistical significance at p < 0.05. Results Among cash-beneficiary women, 50.0% had acceptable Food Consumption Scores (FCS), compared with 20.8% among non-beneficiaries. Cash-beneficiary women were significantly more likely to achieve a higher FCS than non-beneficiaries. Factors significantly associated with FCS included beneficiary status, age, dietary habits, and nutritional knowledge. Women with good dietary habits had higher odds of achieving acceptable FCS, whereas older age groups and women with good nutritional knowledge had lower odds of higher FCS. Conclusion Food consumption among women remained suboptimal, particularly among non-beneficiaries. Cash assistance was associated with improved food consumption outcomes. Strengthening nutrition-sensitive social protection programs, promoting healthy dietary practices, and addressing socioeconomic barriers may improve food consumption among vulnerable urban women.