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The following is a Research Innovation and Development Grants in Economics
(RIDGE) project summary. More...
All projects summarized were conducted under research grants from ERS and the views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of ERS or USDA.
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resulting from the project summarized here.
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Project:
Independent Validation of the Core Food Security Module with Asians and Pacific IslandersYear: 1999 Research Center: Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison Investigator: Derrickson, Joda, Jennifer Anderson, and Anne Fisher Institution: Colorado State University Project Contact:
Joda Derrickson, Ph.D., R.D., Jennifer Anderson,
Ph.D., R.D., Anne Fisher, Sc.D., OTR
Department of Food Science and Nutrition
Colorado State University
laniwai4@pixi.com Summary: Derrickson et al. conducted an independent validation
of the national household food security measure—the
Core Food Security Module (CFSM) and its categorical
algorithm—with Asians and Pacific Islanders in
Hawaii. They conducted their research in three parts:
a qualitative study (n=61), a pilot stability study
(n=61), and a study replicating methods used to develop
the CFSM (n= 1664). Caucasians, Hawaiians and
part-Hawaiians, Filipinos, and Samoans residing in
Hawaii comprised the ethnic groups of focus.
The authors confirmed the face validity of the CFSM
with Asians and Pacific Islanders in Hawaii. Their
findings indicate that the CFSM yields valid and reliable
scale measures among Asians and Pacific
Islanders in Hawaii, with the possible exception of
American Samoans (n=23). However, they suggest
weak credibility, validity, and stability of the CFSM
categorical algorithm: 27 percent of 111 households
identified as food secure with one or more affirmative
replies responded affirmatively to “unable to eat balanced
meals”; 50 percent of 64 households classified
as experiencing moderate hunger responded affirmatively
to “respondent hungry”; and only 62 percent
were consistently classified in the same category over
time.
Derrickson et al. developed and tested a “face valid”
algorithm using three categories. They classified one
affirmative response as “at risk of hunger.” Those
who responded affirmatively to either the “respondent
hungry” item or the “adults didn’t eat for a whole day”
item were classified as “adult hungry,” and those who
responded affirmatively to the “children hungry” item
were classified as “child hungry.” Compared with the
national algorithm, they found this algorithm resulted
in a lower percentage classified as food secure (85 percent
versus 78 percent), a greater percentage classified
consistently as food insecure without hunger over time
(57 percent versus 80 percent), and improved face and
concurrent validity.
In general, the authors found that progressively deteriorating
food security status, as experienced in Hawaii,
resulted in decreased vegetable intake, increased
reliance on Saimin (a popular dried noodle product),
and increased use of alternative sources of food (food
pantry use, eating with friends, fishing, etc.).
Respondents most often perceived “balanced meals” as
meals including “meat, starch, and a vegetable.”
Derrickson et al. suggest caution when extending their
results to ethnic groups not studied. In conclusion,
they argue that their findings warrant further investigation
of a shorter household food security measure and
a reassessment of the CFSM categorical algorithm.
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