Navigating and negotiating social support networks: How low-income men experience persistent food insecurity and acquisition

Food insecurity is a significant public health crisis that occurs when the quality or quantity of food is not sufficient to meet and maintain basic nutritional needs. There is evidence to suggest that men and women experience food insecurity differently and thus may engage in unique coping mechanisms based on gender when attempting to secure food. Much has been written in regard to food insecurity and coping strategies for women; there is a paucity of research examining how men with limited resources traverse social support networks to acquire food. The purpose of this research was to examine how men experiencing food insecurity navigate and negotiate social support networks in an attempt to acquire food. This study is a part of a larger research project examining the experiences of low-income adults' who suffer from food insecurity. These data were derived from 33 audio recorded semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with low-income men. The interviews revealed three major social networks used by interview participants. In an effort to cope with food insecurity, men overwhelmingly used family, friends, and community social support networks to acquire food. Emerging themes centered on the men's reliance on predominantly female friends and family members to assist them in food acquisition efforts. Females play the role of caregivers surrounding food distribution in social support networks for men. The findings from this analysis have significant implications for the development of intervention or prevention programs that aim to foster outreach services for both men and women in seeking and acquiring food.