Investigating the Relationship Between Food,Housing,and Transportation Insecurity and Chronic Disease Among US Women Using Nationally Representative Data

Abstract

Purpose

To examine the association between the social determinants of health (SDOH) and hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and anxiety and/or depression among adult US women.

Design

Cross-sectional survey.

Setting

2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS).

Sample

Women aged ≥18 years (N = 3535) participated from the U.S.

Measure

Outcome variable was diagnosis of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and mental illnesses. Covariates included sociodemographic characteristics along with food, housing, and transportation insecurity.

Analysis

Separate weighted bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (AORs) associations between insecurities and chronic conditions, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics.

Results

Hypertension (35.4%) and anxiety/depression (33.4%) were the most reported chronic conditions. Approximately 27% of the sample experienced all three forms of insecurity concurrently. Women with anxiety or depression had elevated levels of food, housing, and transportation insecurity (11.3%, 7.4%, 7.5%) than those with other chronic conditions. Adjusted models indicated that all three types of insecurity were significantly associated with chronic conditions. Food, housing, transportation, and any insecurity nearly doubled the odds of reporting any chronic condition (AOR = 2.15, 2.44, 1.70, and 2.20, respectively).

Conclusion

Findings highlight a strong association between SDOH and chronic conditions among women, necessitating the implementation of targeted policies and interventions to address sex-related health inequities to improve women’s health.