(OR26-04-26) Mental Health and Nutrition Disparities Among Food Insecure Single-Father Households

Objectives: To examine differences in mental health, nutrition security, and poverty stigma between singe father-headed households compared to other household types.

Methods: Cross-sectional data from 684 households experiencing food insecurity were analyzed, including married/partnered (n = 380), single father (n = 40), and single mother (n = 264) households. Anxiety was assessed with GAD-7; depression with PHQ-9; shame with the Experience of Shame Scale; general health using a single general self-rate health question; nutrition security and poverty stigma with validated scales. Multivariable linear regression models were estimated to obtain adjusted mean differences, reported as adjusted β coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (CI), controlling for household size, income, number of children, SNAP participation, and food pantry use.

Results: Psychosocial burden was high across all household types. Mean anxiety scores were elevated across groups (married/partnered: 10.80±5.93; single-father: 11.00±6.08; and single-mother: 11.20±5.92), as were depression (12.20±7.31, 13.10±7.57, 12.60±7.37, respectively) and shame (54.60±20.80, 60.20±22.50, 53.70±21.40, respectively). After adjustment, household type was not independently associated with measures of mental health and shame; confidence intervals for these comparisons crossed the null. However, compared to married/partnered households, single-father households reported significantly worse coping (β=-0.29, 95% CI: -0.58, -0.01), while single-mother households worse coping (β=-0.15, 95% CI: -0.29, -0.01), and better nutrition security (β=0.19, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.34). SNAP participation (anxiety β = 1.36, 95% CI: 0.38, 2.33; depression β 1.53, 95% CI: 0.33, 2.74) and food pantry use (anxiety β=1.33, 95% CI: 0.41, 2.25; depression β=1.76, 95% CI: 0.62, 2.90; shame β=6.01, 95% CI: 2.73, 9.29) showed stronger associations with adverse outcomes than household types.

Conclusions: Food insecurity is associated with substantial psychosocial burden across household types. Single-parent households face distinct disadvantages in coping with stress but comparatively better nutrition security for single-mothers. Interventions targeting food-insecure families should address fathers across all household types, with formative research needed to tailor approaches.

Funding Sources: SNAP-Ed