Food insecurity can have lasting physical and mental health consequences. The experience of food insecurity within a household may disproportionately impact mothers because they tend to manage the household food environment. This study sought to understand the stresses faced by United States mothers experiencing food insecurity, related coping mechanisms, and the impacts of these stressors on their mental health. Semistructured interviews were conducted in May and June 2022 with a purposive sample of Virginia mothers who reported experiences of food insecurity. Participants were recruited from a related survey and university and community LISTSERVs. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed by trained coders. A thematic analysis was conducted to describe themes that emerged from the data. Virtual interviews were 20–60 min in duration. Mothers with children living in their household, having experienced food insecurity, and living in Virginia were eligible. The following 3 themes emerged from the interviews with the mothers (n = 15): 1) food insecurity added stress to mothers’ lives in multiple ways (e.g. worry about obtaining the “right” foods and internalized or experienced stigma), 2) mothers used positive and negative coping strategies to address the impacts of these stressors (e.g. use of community resources and reduced personal food intake), and 3) the stressors and coping strategies had varying impacts on mothers’ mental health (e.g. added to existing mental health challenges or reduced their mental capacity to make changes). Study findings suggest that a multilevel and tailored approach to address diverse stressors is warranted. Future research should explore emotional coping strategies that comprehensively empower mothers to manage stressors, leverage resources, and reduce social stigma associated with food insecurity and accessing nutrition and mental health assistance. This may improve their household food security and mitigate the burden of stressors on their mental health because system-level solutions to food insecurity are pursued.

Food insecurity, which disproportionately impacts mothers, can have chronic consequences on physical and mental health. There is a relationship between food insecurity and mental health, but the relationship’s mechanisms are unclear. This study aimed to understand how mental health outcomes differ by food insecurity severity and race among Virginia mothers. A cross-sectional survey employed previously validated food security status measures, physical and mental health, social support, and food coping strategies. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman’s rank-order correlations, linear regression, and chi-squared with effect sizes. Overall, respondents (n = 1029) reported worse mental health than the U.S. average (44.3 ± 10.1 and 50, respectively). There was a large effect of food security on mental health (d = 0.6), with worse mental health outcomes for mothers experiencing very low food security (VLFS) than low food security (LFS; p < 0.001). There was a small effect of race on mental health (φ_c = 0.02), with Black mothers having better mental health than White mothers (p < 0.001). Compared to mothers experiencing LFS, mothers experiencing VLFS had less social support (d = 0.5) and used more food coping strategies, especially financial strategies (d = −1.5; p < 0.001). This study suggests that food-insecure mothers experience stressors and lack adequate social support, which is even more distinct for mothers experiencing VLFS.

The role of poverty stigma, defined as negative stereotyping based on socioeconomic status, in the relationship between food security and mental health has not been well explored. This study aimed to develop and test a theory to explain the role of internalized and experienced poverty stigma in the relationship between food security and mental health among mothers in the Southern US. A cross-sectional survey was administered in December 2023. The survey was delivered electronically via Qualtrics to mothers living in the southern US who reported a household income below 185% of the federal poverty level. Food security, stigma, and symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed using previously validated tools. A path analysis was conducted based on the initial conceptual framework and adapted to remove nonsignificant variables. Linear regression was used to assess stigma by resource utilization. Mean poverty stigma scores among mothers (n = 1,008) were moderate for internalized (3.1 ± 0.8) and experienced stigma (3.1 ± 1.1). Lower food security was associated with higher internalized (β = 0.10, p < 0.001) and experienced stigma (β = 0.34, p < 0.001). Experienced stigma had a small association with both anxiety and depressive symptoms (β = 0.20, 0.23, p < 0.001). Participation in food pantries (+ 0.17) and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program (+ 0.45) was associated with higher experienced stigma (p < 0.05). Poverty stigma may be a potential area for intervention to address the relationship between food insecurity and mental health among mothers and improve resource utilization.

Household food insecurity is not necessarily equally experienced by all household members, with mothers often changing their intake first when food resources are limited. The purpose of this study was to understand the association between maternal mental health and intrahousehold differences in food security statuses. A cross-sectional survey was administered to Virginia mothers with low income (August–October 2021), assessing validated measures of food security, mental and physical health and related factors. Participants (n = 570) were grouped according to the food security status of adults and children within the household. Linear regression was used to assess the outcomes of interest by group and controlled for key demographic variables. Mothers in households with any food insecurity reported worse overall mental health and used 3–4 more food coping strategies than households experiencing food security (p < 0.05). Only mothers in households where adults experienced food insecurity reported significantly greater anxiety and depressive symptoms (61.5 and 58.1, respectively) compared to households experiencing food security (55.7 and 52.4, p < 0.001). While any experience of household food insecurity is associated with worse maternal mental health, there were differences by the within-household food security status. Future research should explore screening measures that capture specific household members’ food security to connect households with available resources.

Purpose: Few studies have explored dental hygienists' views on health behaviors like food insecurity or recommending preventive care such as the HPV vaccine. This study examined current practices, barriers, and readiness to implement screenings for food insecurity (FI), HPV risk, and vaccine recommendation. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey was conducted (August 2024) among Oklahoma dental hygienists. Using concepts from the Transtheoretical Model and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), an embedded mixed‐methods survey evaluated respondent readiness to conduct FI screenings and HPV risk assessment/vaccine recommendation. Analyses included descriptive statistics and χ ² tests to determine associations between intent and constructs of TPB. Additionally, content analysis of open‐ended questions identified barriers and facilitators to adopting these practices. Results: Among respondents ( n = 92), the majority were not yet considering (precontemplation) screening for FI (67%), risk assessment for HPV (58%), or providing the HPV vaccine recommendation (78%). Most hygienists displayed a positive attitude toward these practices, yet lacked intent due to low perceived behavioral control and subjective norms ( p < 0.001). Qualitative content analysis revealed barriers, including a lack of knowledge (41%) and awareness (18%), low confidence (10%), and considering such practices outside the scope of dental care (15%). Despite this, hygienists reported education (13%) and access to resources (10%) as facilitators in initiating HPV and FI related conversations. Implications: Despite the low readiness, hygienists reported a willingness to engage in these critical public health issues with appropriate training and support. A stage‐based training program in Oklahoma may enhance dental hygienists' knowledge and confidence, thereby improving preventive care and health outcomes.