Thailand Prevalence and Profile of Food Insecurity in Households with under Five Years Children: Analysis of 2019 Multi-Cluster Indicator Survey

Jintana Jankhotkaew, Orana Chandrasiri, Sorasak Charoensit, Vuthiphan Vongmongkol and Viroj Tangcharoensathien
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Jintana Jankhotkaew: International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Tiwanon Rd., Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
Orana Chandrasiri: International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Tiwanon Rd., Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
Sorasak Charoensit: International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Tiwanon Rd., Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
Vuthiphan Vongmongkol: International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Tiwanon Rd., Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
Viroj Tangcharoensathien: International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Tiwanon Rd., Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 9, 1-10

Abstract: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and profile of food insecurity in households with children under 5 years old using the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) in Thailand. We integrated FIES into the 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS). A total of 861 households were successfully interviewed with FIES. The Rasch model was applied to examine the validity and reliability. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the association between socio-economic status and prevalence of food insecurity, adjusting for geographical regions and characteristics of households. We found that FIES measurement is valid as Infit falls within the normal range of 0.7–1.3 and is reliable (Rasch reliability value of 0.81). The overall prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity was 2.79%. The wealthiest households were less likely to suffer from food insecurity than the poorest households (adjusted OR: 0.07; 95% CI: 0.02–0.34; p -value < 0.05). Households with children under 5 years old living in rural areas had lower food insecurity severity scores. We recommend social protection policies such as food and nutrition subsidies or conditional cash transfer to poor households with children under the age of 5.

Keywords: food insecurity; socio-economic status; children under five; households; Thailand; food insecurity experience scale (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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