Vulnerable, single and living in poverty: Women’s challenges to accessing food in the Australian Capital Territory
Abstract Objective: To explore challenges to food access faced by vulnerable women living in the Australian Capital Territory and surrounds. Method: Qualitative study comprising semi‐structured interviews supplemented with quantitative demographic data. Results: Forty‐one women, mean age of 43 years...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2018-12-01
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| Series: | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12845 |
| _version_ | 1797763224711462912 |
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| author | Tanya Lawlis Amanda Devine Penney Upton |
| author_facet | Tanya Lawlis Amanda Devine Penney Upton |
| author_sort | Tanya Lawlis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective: To explore challenges to food access faced by vulnerable women living in the Australian Capital Territory and surrounds. Method: Qualitative study comprising semi‐structured interviews supplemented with quantitative demographic data. Results: Forty‐one women, mean age of 43 years, living in government and community housing who had an income of <$300 per week participated. A total of 78% of women had completed Year 10 or above and 93% had accessed food from at least one charitable organisation. Women requested greater and reliable access to meat, dairy and quality fruit and vegetables. Primary challenges to accessing food included: limited income, distance to food outlets, lack of nutritious, safe and healthy food, limited knowledge of services and opening hours. Conclusion: Access to safe, nutritious and healthy food is difficult for women living in poverty. Acknowledgement of challenges that contribute to women’s food insecurity by all stakeholders is essential to address the problem and build sustainable actions and solutions. Implications for public health: Collaboration from all stakeholders within our food system is required to address current inequities to accessing reliable, nutritious and safe food and to reduce individual food insecurity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T19:39:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-925ad74ea4754b7e825d666693102b54 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1326-0200 1753-6405 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T19:39:32Z |
| publishDate | 2018-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-925ad74ea4754b7e825d666693102b542023-08-02T03:58:06ZengElsevierAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health1326-02001753-64052018-12-0142654154610.1111/1753-6405.12845Vulnerable, single and living in poverty: Women’s challenges to accessing food in the Australian Capital TerritoryTanya Lawlis0Amanda Devine1Penney Upton2Discipline of Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Canberra, Australian Capital TerritorySchool of Medical and Health Sciences Edith Cowan University Western AustraliaUniversity of Canberra‐Health Research Institute (UC‐HRI), University of Canberra, Australian Capital TerritoryAbstract Objective: To explore challenges to food access faced by vulnerable women living in the Australian Capital Territory and surrounds. Method: Qualitative study comprising semi‐structured interviews supplemented with quantitative demographic data. Results: Forty‐one women, mean age of 43 years, living in government and community housing who had an income of <$300 per week participated. A total of 78% of women had completed Year 10 or above and 93% had accessed food from at least one charitable organisation. Women requested greater and reliable access to meat, dairy and quality fruit and vegetables. Primary challenges to accessing food included: limited income, distance to food outlets, lack of nutritious, safe and healthy food, limited knowledge of services and opening hours. Conclusion: Access to safe, nutritious and healthy food is difficult for women living in poverty. Acknowledgement of challenges that contribute to women’s food insecurity by all stakeholders is essential to address the problem and build sustainable actions and solutions. Implications for public health: Collaboration from all stakeholders within our food system is required to address current inequities to accessing reliable, nutritious and safe food and to reduce individual food insecurity.https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12845food insecurityfood accessvulnerable womenAustralia |
| spellingShingle | Tanya Lawlis Amanda Devine Penney Upton Vulnerable, single and living in poverty: Women’s challenges to accessing food in the Australian Capital Territory Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health food insecurity food access vulnerable women Australia |
| title | Vulnerable, single and living in poverty: Women’s challenges to accessing food in the Australian Capital Territory |
| title_full | Vulnerable, single and living in poverty: Women’s challenges to accessing food in the Australian Capital Territory |
| title_fullStr | Vulnerable, single and living in poverty: Women’s challenges to accessing food in the Australian Capital Territory |
| title_full_unstemmed | Vulnerable, single and living in poverty: Women’s challenges to accessing food in the Australian Capital Territory |
| title_short | Vulnerable, single and living in poverty: Women’s challenges to accessing food in the Australian Capital Territory |
| title_sort | vulnerable single and living in poverty women s challenges to accessing food in the australian capital territory |
| topic | food insecurity food access vulnerable women Australia |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12845 |
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