COVID-19-Associated Food Insecurity and Mental Health Symptoms Among Latinx Adults in the United States

Abstract

Introduction: U.S. Latinx adults were disproportionately burdened by COVID-19 infection, as well as food insecurity compared to their non- Hispanic white adults. It is less clear if within-group variations among U.S. Latinx adults exist in food insecurity and mental health outcomes. Methods: We conducted a secondary data analysis of repeated cross-sectional survey waves from the Understanding America Study (UAS) study (N = 182,865). We computed multivariable generalized linear regression models to examine associations between food insecurity, demographic characteristics, and depressive symptoms. Results: Participants with a history of food insecurity had a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms compared to those without a history of food insecurity (21.1% compared to 5.23%, p