Food Insecurity Is Associated With a Lower Quality of Life Among People Living With HIV (PLWH) and HIV Seronegative Individuals, in the Miami Adult Studies on HIV (MASH) Cohort

Food insecurity affects underserved and marginalized populations in the United States, which could lead to a decline in quality of life over time and further worsening health outcomes. This study aims to determine the association between food security and quality of life among people living with and without HIV in Miami, FL. This was a cross-sectional analysis of a minority population from the Miami Adult Studies on HIV (MASH) cohort. Demographics, anthropometrics, and fasting blood samples were collected by trained personnel. HIV viral loads (VL, copies/ml) were abstracted from medical records (suppressed viral load < 50 copies/ml) with the participants’ consent. Food security status was assessed using the USDA Household Food Security Module and analyzed as food secure (full) vs. insecure (marginal, low, very low). Quality of Life (QoL) was determined with the Spitzer QoL Index (scores: 0–10). QoL was dichotomized as a high (≥8) or low QoL (