Imagine being hungry and unable to afford food, or having to choose between buying groceries for your family or paying for medication to treat a chronic condition. Or perhaps having to decide between buying healthy fruits and vegetables or cheap processed foods for your kids. These are daily dilemmas for millions of people across California, including in San Diego and Imperial counties.
According to Feeding America, nearly 40,000 people in Imperial County (21.1% of the county’s population) are food insecure. In San Diego County, nearly 360,000 people are food insecure. The San Diego Hunger Coalition has also found that 25% of San Diego children were nutrition insecure in March of this year, meaning they lack consistent access to foods that promote health and well-being.
September is Hunger Action Month, a time to recognize that food insecurity is widespread in our communities and directly linked to physical and mental health. Serious health conditions like diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and depression can often be traced back to a lack of nutritious food — and those who are food insecure face a greater likelihood of hospitalization from related conditions.
Hospitals play a crucial role in not only providing exceptional health care, but also addressing the social determinants of health that affect the most vulnerable members of our community. In the HASD&IC region, hospitals are taking action by screening patients for food insecurity, helping patients apply for CalFresh, and offering nutritional education. These efforts are augmented by Medi-Cal’s Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports, which focus on residents’ health-related social needs outside hospital and health care settings.
Addressing food insecurity is essential for improving public health and the long-term social and economic stability of our communities. Hospitals are making a difference, but we must continue striving for a world where Hunger Action Month is no longer needed because everyone’s basic needs are being met.
It’s important to note, one of the reasons food insecurity was identified as a priority by the HASD&IC Board of Directors was our Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) reports. We are in the final stages of research for the 2025 CHNA report. Please take the online CHNA survey to help inform our findings. The survey closes on Tuesday, Sept. 10. Your voice needs to be heard so we can address the most pressing issues facing our region.