JSIT23-05: Disability, food insecurity, and multiple program participation across the social welfare system

Households with disability face a heightened risk of food insecurity, a problem compounded by the increased financial resources required to maintain an adequate standard of living. This issue is further complicated by the cyclical relationship between food insecurity and the exacerbation, or even the development, of disabilities; food insecurity can lead to deteriorating health and diet quality, which, in turn, can worsen disability conditions. Such a scenario has the potential to strain the social welfare system, particularly SSA, as food insecurity could lead to increases in disability benefit claims or increased healthcare costs for programs like Medicare and Medicaid. While it is well-established that participating in social welfare programs can alleviate food insecurity, little research has delved into how households with disability engage with programs across the social welfare system and, even more so, how this collective participation relates to food insecurity. Utilizing data from the 2014 and 2018 Survey of Income and Program Participation, I aim to unravel individual and collective participation rates across sixteen social welfare programs for households with disability and to shed light on how the selection into and participation in multiple programs are connected to food insecurity. By adopting an intersectional approach, with a focus on how households with disability access and participate in multiple social welfare programs, this research will provide insights into the intricate relationship between need, resources, and food insecurity. Results could help SSA in improving their understanding of how current and prospective beneficiaries utilize social welfare programs to address food insecurity.