Project Description:
Purpose: The purpose of this research project is to examine variations in the impact of food assistance programs on food security among working age persons with disabilities by disability type. Specifically, this project will test the following hypotheses: 1) Does food security differ for persons with different types of disabilities, controlling for individual characteristics (age, gender, race, educational attainment, income, marital status, etc.)? 2) Does Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation differ for persons with different types of disabilities, controlling for individual characteristics? 3) Do levels of food security vary across SNAP participants with different types of disabilities, controlling for individual characteristics?
Data: In recent years, the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) has included a series of questions designed to measure food security. The NHIS also includes a series of six questions that are commonly used within federal surveys to measure disability, as well as more detailed questions that gather information about specific types of disabilities. Public use data from 2011 to 2013 will be used.
Methods: Descriptive statistics will first be provided. Logistic regression will be used as well to test the hypotheses listed above. All analyses will be conducted using Stata.
Results: The analysis conducted here will examine differences in food security and food assistance participation by disability type, allowing policymakers to determine whether targeted nutrition assistance programs are needed for certain sub-populations of working age persons with disabilities.
