Participatory mapping to address neighborhood level data deficiencies for food security assessment in Southeastern Virginia, USA
Abstract Background Food is not equitably available. Deficiencies and generalizations limit national datasets, food security assessments, and interventions. Additional neighborhood level studies are needed to develop a scalable and transferable process to complement national and internationally comp...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-11-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Health Geographics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12942-022-00314-3 |
| _version_ | 1828330447174631424 |
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| author | Nicole S. Hutton George McLeod Thomas R. Allen Christopher Davis Alexandra Garnand Heather Richter Prachi P. Chavan Leslie Hoglund Jill Comess Matthew Herman Brian Martin Cynthia Romero |
| author_facet | Nicole S. Hutton George McLeod Thomas R. Allen Christopher Davis Alexandra Garnand Heather Richter Prachi P. Chavan Leslie Hoglund Jill Comess Matthew Herman Brian Martin Cynthia Romero |
| author_sort | Nicole S. Hutton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Food is not equitably available. Deficiencies and generalizations limit national datasets, food security assessments, and interventions. Additional neighborhood level studies are needed to develop a scalable and transferable process to complement national and internationally comparative data sets with timely, granular, nuanced data. Participatory geographic information systems (PGIS) offer a means to address these issues by digitizing local knowledge. Methods The objectives of this study were two-fold: (i) identify granular locations missing from food source and risk datasets and (ii) examine the relation between the spatial, socio-economic, and agency contributors to food security. Twenty-nine subject matter experts from three cities in Southeastern Virginia with backgrounds in food distribution, nutrition management, human services, and associated research engaged in a participatory mapping process. Results Results show that publicly available and other national datasets are not inclusive of non-traditional food sources or updated frequently enough to reflect changes associated with closures, expansion, or new programs. Almost 6 percent of food sources were missing from publicly available and national datasets. Food pantries, community gardens and fridges, farmers markets, child and adult care programs, and meals served in community centers and homeless shelters were not well represented. Over 24 km2 of participant identified need was outside United States Department of Agriculture low income, low access areas. Economic, physical, and social barriers to food security were interconnected with transportation limitations. Recommendations address an international call from development agencies, countries, and world regions for intervention methods that include systemic and generational issues with poverty, incorporate non-traditional spaces into food distribution systems, incentivize or regulate healthy food options in stores, improve educational opportunities, increase data sharing. Conclusions Leveraging city and regional agency as appropriate to capitalize upon synergistic activities was seen as critical to achieve these goals, particularly for non-traditional partnership building. To address neighborhood scale food security needs in Southeastern Virginia, data collection and assessment should address both environment and utilization issues from consumer and producer perspectives including availability, proximity, accessibility, awareness, affordability, cooking capacity, and preference. The PGIS process utilized to facilitate information sharing about neighborhood level contributors to food insecurity and translate those contributors to intervention strategies through discussion with local subject matter experts and contextualization within larger scale food systems dynamics is transferable. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T20:39:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f6f86ab3d29a4eeabef124ca539fde90 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1476-072X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T20:39:25Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Health Geographics |
| spelling | doaj.art-f6f86ab3d29a4eeabef124ca539fde902022-12-22T02:30:56ZengBMCInternational Journal of Health Geographics1476-072X2022-11-0121111710.1186/s12942-022-00314-3Participatory mapping to address neighborhood level data deficiencies for food security assessment in Southeastern Virginia, USANicole S. Hutton0George McLeod1Thomas R. Allen2Christopher Davis3Alexandra Garnand4Heather Richter5Prachi P. Chavan6Leslie Hoglund7Jill Comess8Matthew Herman9Brian Martin10Cynthia Romero11Department of Political Science and Geography, Old Dominion UniversityCenter for Geospatial Science, Education & Analytics, Old Dominion UniversityDepartment of Political Science and Geography, Old Dominion UniversityCenter for Geospatial Science, Education & Analytics, Old Dominion UniversityCenter for Geospatial Science, Education & Analytics, Old Dominion UniversityVirginia Modeling, Analysis, and Simulation Center, Old Dominion UniversityMaster of Public Health Program, Eastern Virginia Medical SchoolSchool of Community and Environmental Health, Old Dominion UniversityFood Science & Nutrition Program, Norfolk State UniversityMaster of Public Health Program, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Brock Institute for Community and Global HealthMaster of Public Health Program, Eastern Virginia Medical SchoolMaster of Public Health Program, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Brock Institute for Community and Global HealthAbstract Background Food is not equitably available. Deficiencies and generalizations limit national datasets, food security assessments, and interventions. Additional neighborhood level studies are needed to develop a scalable and transferable process to complement national and internationally comparative data sets with timely, granular, nuanced data. Participatory geographic information systems (PGIS) offer a means to address these issues by digitizing local knowledge. Methods The objectives of this study were two-fold: (i) identify granular locations missing from food source and risk datasets and (ii) examine the relation between the spatial, socio-economic, and agency contributors to food security. Twenty-nine subject matter experts from three cities in Southeastern Virginia with backgrounds in food distribution, nutrition management, human services, and associated research engaged in a participatory mapping process. Results Results show that publicly available and other national datasets are not inclusive of non-traditional food sources or updated frequently enough to reflect changes associated with closures, expansion, or new programs. Almost 6 percent of food sources were missing from publicly available and national datasets. Food pantries, community gardens and fridges, farmers markets, child and adult care programs, and meals served in community centers and homeless shelters were not well represented. Over 24 km2 of participant identified need was outside United States Department of Agriculture low income, low access areas. Economic, physical, and social barriers to food security were interconnected with transportation limitations. Recommendations address an international call from development agencies, countries, and world regions for intervention methods that include systemic and generational issues with poverty, incorporate non-traditional spaces into food distribution systems, incentivize or regulate healthy food options in stores, improve educational opportunities, increase data sharing. Conclusions Leveraging city and regional agency as appropriate to capitalize upon synergistic activities was seen as critical to achieve these goals, particularly for non-traditional partnership building. To address neighborhood scale food security needs in Southeastern Virginia, data collection and assessment should address both environment and utilization issues from consumer and producer perspectives including availability, proximity, accessibility, awareness, affordability, cooking capacity, and preference. The PGIS process utilized to facilitate information sharing about neighborhood level contributors to food insecurity and translate those contributors to intervention strategies through discussion with local subject matter experts and contextualization within larger scale food systems dynamics is transferable.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12942-022-00314-3Food securityParticipatory mappingAgencyCapacity buildingNutrition |
| spellingShingle | Nicole S. Hutton George McLeod Thomas R. Allen Christopher Davis Alexandra Garnand Heather Richter Prachi P. Chavan Leslie Hoglund Jill Comess Matthew Herman Brian Martin Cynthia Romero Participatory mapping to address neighborhood level data deficiencies for food security assessment in Southeastern Virginia, USA International Journal of Health Geographics Food security Participatory mapping Agency Capacity building Nutrition |
| title | Participatory mapping to address neighborhood level data deficiencies for food security assessment in Southeastern Virginia, USA |
| title_full | Participatory mapping to address neighborhood level data deficiencies for food security assessment in Southeastern Virginia, USA |
| title_fullStr | Participatory mapping to address neighborhood level data deficiencies for food security assessment in Southeastern Virginia, USA |
| title_full_unstemmed | Participatory mapping to address neighborhood level data deficiencies for food security assessment in Southeastern Virginia, USA |
| title_short | Participatory mapping to address neighborhood level data deficiencies for food security assessment in Southeastern Virginia, USA |
| title_sort | participatory mapping to address neighborhood level data deficiencies for food security assessment in southeastern virginia usa |
| topic | Food security Participatory mapping Agency Capacity building Nutrition |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12942-022-00314-3 |
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