Job Loss and Food Insecurity during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Stefani Milovanska-Farrington ()
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Stefani Milovanska-Farrington: The University of Tampa

No 14273, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Nutritious eating habits contribute to a stronger immune system necessary for prevention and easier recovery from illnesses. A job loss, experienced by millions of Americans during the Covid-19 pandemic, is expected to negatively affect food security of families. This research explores the effect of a recent job loss during the Covid-19 crisis on food sufficiency. The findings suggest that a job loss in the family is associated with greater food insecurity, reduced likelihood that a family has a sufficient amount of food, and deteriorated child nutrition. There is also a differential effect between currently employed and unemployed job losers, with the latter group being more adversely affected. The negative effect is primarily driven by Hispanic and low-educated individuals. These results have policy implications in the context of identifying vulnerable groups that are most likely to benefit from programs designed to provide sufficient nutrition to the population.

Keywords: job loss; nutrition; food security; COVID-19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D12 I19 J60 J63 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 27 pages
Date: 2021-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr, nep-cwa and nep-lab
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Published - published in: Journal of Economic Studies, 2023, 50 (2), 300-323

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