Prevalence of Food Insecurity and Some Associated Socioeconomic Factors among Patients with Upper Gastrointestinal Cancers

Food insecurity is defined as the limited or uncertain availability of enough food for an always active and healthy life. Cancer as a debilitating and lifespan reductive disease causes many individual and social damages. The aim of this study was to assess food insecurity status and some associated socioeconomic factors in patients with upper gastrointestinal cancers. A cross-sectional study was performed on 120 patients (72 males and 48 females with the mean age of 62. 23 years) with upper gastrointestinal cancers including stomach and esophagus cancers who were hospitalized in the cancer institute of Iran in 2012. General and socioeconomic characteristics and food insecurity status assessed using socioeconomic and 18-item USDA household food security questionnaires. SPSS16. 0 and Stata11SE software were used for Statistical analyses. Prevalence of food insecurity was 69. 17%. Food insecurity was significantly associated with having children under 18 years of age and low economic level. Since food insecurity in patients with esophagus and stomach cancers was more prevalent than others، it is essential to pay more attention to the reduction of food insecurity in the society.