As part of its health equity efforts, Evans Army Community Hospital, in collaboration with state and local resources, now offers food insecurity screenings for primary care patients to ensure the health and readiness of all members of the military community.

Combating food insecurity is a priority of the Department of Defense and is considered a social determinant of health or a health-related social need, along with housing and access to transportation.

“Food insecurity can impact personal and family disease risk, well-being and the achievement of health goals,” says Jessica Burns, chief population health nurse in the hospital’s Quality and Safety Division.

More than 25% of active-duty soldiers experience food insecurity, meaning they skip meals, reduce meals, or go hungry rather than eat, according to a 2023 Rand Corporation study.

“Other research has shown that food insecurity exists in our military community,” Burns said. “And food insecurity tends to be highest among people living on military bases.”

According to Burns, soldiers who experience food insecurity are less likely to remain on active duty, receive less support from their spouse or partner to remain in the military, and often have lower personal and unit readiness.

Therefore, hospital health workers faced the challenge of documenting food insecurity and providing resources to recipients who needed them.

“Our primary goal is to help those experiencing food insecurity. To do that, we first identify where help is needed and then help them access the resources that can help them,” Burns said. “As we learn more details about who needs help the most, what type of help is most helpful, etc., we will tailor the assistance we provide to best meet the needs of our recipient population.”

A variety of federal, state, and local resources are available for those struggling with food insecurity. For more information, visit the EACH Population Health website at: https://evans.tricare.mil/Health-Services/Population-Health-Management.