Examining Rural Food-Insecure Families’ Perceptions of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: A Qualitative Study
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a critical program that helps reduce the risk of food insecurity, yet little is known about how SNAP addresses the needs of rural, food-insecure residents in the United States (U.S.). This study examines how rural, food-insecure residents perce...
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doaj-9c24c23a71374b8785d9efa8fe9eee1e2020-11-25T03:19:04ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health1661-78271660-46012020-09-01176390639010.3390/ijerph17176390Examining Rural Food-Insecure Families’ Perceptions of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: A Qualitative StudyLindsey Haynes-Maslow0Annie Hardison-Moody1Megan Patton-Lopez2T. Elaine Prewitt3Carmen Byker Shanks4Lauri Andress5Isabel Osborne6Stephanie Jilcott Pitts7Department of Agricultural & Human Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27659, USADepartment of Agricultural & Human Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27659, USADivision of Health & Exercise Science, Western Oregon University, Monmouth, OR 97361, USADepartment of Health Policy and Management, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USAFood and Health Lab, Department of Health & Human Development, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59718, USADepartment of Health Policy, Management, and Leadership, West Virginia University School of Public Health, Morgantown, WV 26505, USADepartment of Global Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USADepartment of Public Health, East Carolina University, 115 Heart Drive, Greenville, NC 27834, USAThe Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a critical program that helps reduce the risk of food insecurity, yet little is known about how SNAP addresses the needs of rural, food-insecure residents in the United States (U.S.). This study examines how rural, food-insecure residents perceive SNAP. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 153 individuals living in six diverse rural regions of Arkansas, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, and West Virginia. SNAP was described as a crucial stop-gap program, keeping families from experiencing persistent food insecurity, making food dollars stretch when the family budget is tight, and helping them purchase healthier foods. For many rural residents interviewed, SNAP was viewed in a largely positive light. In efforts to continue improving SNAP, particularly in light of its relevance during and post-coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, policymakers must be aware of rural families’ perceptions of SNAP. Specific improvements may include increased transparency regarding funding formulas, budgeting and nutrition education for recipients, effective training to improve customer service, connections among social service agencies within a community, and increased availability of automation to streamline application processes.https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/17/6390ruralSNAPfood insecurityfood access |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Lindsey Haynes-Maslow Annie Hardison-Moody Megan Patton-Lopez T. Elaine Prewitt Carmen Byker Shanks Lauri Andress Isabel Osborne Stephanie Jilcott Pitts |
spellingShingle |
Lindsey Haynes-Maslow Annie Hardison-Moody Megan Patton-Lopez T. Elaine Prewitt Carmen Byker Shanks Lauri Andress Isabel Osborne Stephanie Jilcott Pitts Examining Rural Food-Insecure Families’ Perceptions of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: A Qualitative Study International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health rural SNAP food insecurity food access |
author_facet |
Lindsey Haynes-Maslow Annie Hardison-Moody Megan Patton-Lopez T. Elaine Prewitt Carmen Byker Shanks Lauri Andress Isabel Osborne Stephanie Jilcott Pitts |
author_sort |
Lindsey Haynes-Maslow |
title |
Examining Rural Food-Insecure Families’ Perceptions of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: A Qualitative Study |
title_short |
Examining Rural Food-Insecure Families’ Perceptions of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: A Qualitative Study |
title_full |
Examining Rural Food-Insecure Families’ Perceptions of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: A Qualitative Study |
title_fullStr |
Examining Rural Food-Insecure Families’ Perceptions of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: A Qualitative Study |
title_full_unstemmed |
Examining Rural Food-Insecure Families’ Perceptions of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: A Qualitative Study |
title_sort |
examining rural food-insecure families’ perceptions of the supplemental nutrition assistance program: a qualitative study |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
issn |
1661-7827 1660-4601 |
publishDate |
2020-09-01 |
description |
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a critical program that helps reduce the risk of food insecurity, yet little is known about how SNAP addresses the needs of rural, food-insecure residents in the United States (U.S.). This study examines how rural, food-insecure residents perceive SNAP. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 153 individuals living in six diverse rural regions of Arkansas, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, and West Virginia. SNAP was described as a crucial stop-gap program, keeping families from experiencing persistent food insecurity, making food dollars stretch when the family budget is tight, and helping them purchase healthier foods. For many rural residents interviewed, SNAP was viewed in a largely positive light. In efforts to continue improving SNAP, particularly in light of its relevance during and post-coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, policymakers must be aware of rural families’ perceptions of SNAP. Specific improvements may include increased transparency regarding funding formulas, budgeting and nutrition education for recipients, effective training to improve customer service, connections among social service agencies within a community, and increased availability of automation to streamline application processes. |
topic |
rural SNAP food insecurity food access |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/17/6390 |
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