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Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Published in: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 3/2017

01-06-2017 | Original Paper

Food Insecurity and Risk of Depression Among Refugees and Immigrants in South Africa

Authors: Varsha Maharaj, Andrew Tomita, Lindokuhle Thela, Mpho Mhlongo, Jonathan K. Burns

Published in: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health | Issue 3/2017

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Abstract

South Africa’s refugee population has grown considerably over the last decade. Both food insecurity and mental illness are common in developing countries, but this relationship remains unexamined in an African refugee population. 335 adult refugees in Durban, South Africa were interviewed using a self-report of food insecurity and the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25. The proportion of those who responded ‘often true’ to not having enough food and eating less was 23.1 and 54.3 %, respectively. The proportion of individuals with a significant level of anxiety and depressive symptomatology was 49.4 and 54.6 %, respectively. The adjusted logistic regression indicated that not eating enough was significantly associated with anxiety (aOR = 4.52, 95 % CI: 2.09–9.80) and depression (aOR = 4.51, 95 % CI: 2.01–10.09). Similarly, eating less was significantly associated with anxiety (aOR = 2.88, 95 % CI: 1.56–5.31) and depression (aOR = 2.88, 95 % CI: 1.54–5.39). The high prevalence of food insecurity, and its relationship to mental illness, highlight the importance of addressing basic needs among this population.
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Metadata
Title
Food Insecurity and Risk of Depression Among Refugees and Immigrants in South Africa
Authors
Varsha Maharaj
Andrew Tomita
Lindokuhle Thela
Mpho Mhlongo
Jonathan K. Burns
Publication date
01-06-2017
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health / Issue 3/2017
Print ISSN: 1557-1912
Electronic ISSN: 1557-1920
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-016-0370-x

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