Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #116809

Noel Chavez, PhD, RD, LDN¹, Daniel Block, PhD², Nancy Bates, DrPH, RD, CHES¹, and Judy Birgen, PhD³. (1) School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1603 W. Taylor, MC923, Chicago, IL 60612, 312-996-0747, nchavez@uic.edu, (2) Geography, Economics & Anthropology, Chicago State University, 9501 S. King Drive, Chicago, IL 60628, (3) Sociology Department, Chicago State University, 9501 S. King Drive, Chicago, IL 60628

Vulnerable communities are often concerned about poor access to an adequate and healthy food supply, but lack objective baseline data documenting the problem. The Northeast Illinois Community Food Security Assessment project emerged from such a situation, and is completing a three year project to assess community food security for the six county Chicago metropolitan area. Multiple methods and a community based participatory approach are being used. to describe food availability across 13 food system sectors. An overall picture of food access has been examined using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis of retail food outlet, restaurant, farmer's market, community garden, emergency food and federal food program site distribution.. Secondary data analysis of food assistance program participation and area Census data were also analyzed. To obtain an in-depth perspective, fourteen case study areas across the region are using household food security surveys, qualitative group interviews across food system sector representatives, and market basket studies of healthy food availability and price in retail food outlets and restaurants. Community partners play a significant role in data collection, analysis and synthesis, and an active Advisory Council of community leaders helps guide the entire research process, from question identification through results synthesis and integration. Methodological details and innovations from this large scale assessment and lessons learned will be shared.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will have a better comprehension of using multiple methods in community food security assessments.
• Participants will have a better comprehension of the strengths and challenges of conducting community based participatory research.

Keywords: Food Security, Mental Health System

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation