Exploring the Relationship Between SNAP Enrollment and Food Insecurity in Rural Appalachia

ABSTRACT

This study explores the relationship between food security status and SNAP enrollment among adults in one rural Appalachian county. This cross-sectional analysis represents one wave of a prospective cohort study. Data were collected via telephone October 2020-January 2021 to assess nutrition assistance use and food security status. There was a significant association between degree of food security and SNAP enrollment status (p < .01) with SNAP and SNAP-eligible participants experiencing higher rates of food insecurity in this persistent poverty county. Findings highlight the importance of designing tailored interventions to address food inequities among rural, low-income populations.

KEYWORDS:

• SNAP
• food insecurity
• rural
• Appalachia

Acknowledgements

We thank the Martin County Cooperative Extension Office and the Martin County Wellness Coalition for their ongoing support and contributions to this work. This project utilized the UK Center for Clinical and Translational Science REDCap tool, supported by the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (grant number UL1TR001998). The content is the sole responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO), Cooperative Agreement number 1NU58DP0065690100.