Food insecurity and social support in families of children with sickle-cell disease

To examine the associations between food insecurity (IA) and social support in families of children with sickle-cell disease (DF). This cross-sectional study in families of 190 children from five to nine years old in follow-up at a hematology referral hospital in Rio de Janeiro State. IA was measured using the Brazilian food insecurity scale and social support was measured using the Brazilian version of the MOS social support survey instrument. The relation between IA and social support was analyzed by way of a multinomial logistic model. There was IA in 62.2% of the families, in moderate and severe form in, respectively, 11.1% and 7.9% of cases. In families of children with DF, levels of mild and severe food insecurity (IALe and IAGr) were found to relate inversely to levels of social support in the following dimensions: informational support (IALe OR=0.98; 95% CI 0.96–0.99 and IAGr OR=0.95; 95% CI 0.92–0.98); social interaction (IALe OR=0.98; 95% CI 0.96–0.99 and IAGr OR=0.96; 95% CI 0.93–0.99) and tangible social support (IALe OR=0.97; 95% CI 0.96–0.99 and IAGr OR=0.97; 95% CI 0.94–0.99). Considering the positive effects of social support on IA, public policies should be encouraged to assure food and nutritional security and social assistance for care for people with DF. Also, social support groups for people with DF should be strengthened. Avaliar as associações entre insegurança alimentar (IA) e apoio social em famílias de crianças com doença falciforme (DF). Estudo transversal feito com as famílias de 190 crianças, com idades de cinco a nove anos, atendidas em um hospital de referência em hematologia no Estado do Rio de Janeiro. A IA foi medida com a escala brasileira de insegurança alimentar, e o apoio social foi medido com a versão brasileira do instrumento de pesquisa de apoio social MOS. A relação entre IA e o apoio social foi analisada por meio de um modelo logístico multinomial. Havia IA em 62,2% das famílias, nas formas moderada e grave em 11,1% e 7,9% dos casos, respectivamente. Em famílias de crianças com DF, os níveis de insegurança alimentar leve e grave (IAL e IAG) apresentaram relação inversa com os níveis de apoio social nas seguintes dimensões: apoio informativo (IAL OR = 0,98; IC 95%: 0,96-0,99 e IAG OR = 0,95; IC 95%: 0,92-0,98); interação social (IAL OR = 0,98; IC 95%: 0,96-0,99 e IAG OR = 0,96; IC 95%: 0,93-0,99) e material (apoio social tangível) (IAL OR = 0,97; IC 95%: 0,96-0,99 e IAG OR = 0,97; 95% CI 0,94-0,99). Considerando os