Client and Pantry Factors Influencing Transportation-Related Barriers Among Users of Food Pantries: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

TL;DR

This study explores how client and pantry factors affect transportation barriers when accessing food pantries, highlighting disparities among users relying on walking, biking, or public transit.

Contribution

The study identifies specific client and pantry-level factors influencing transportation barriers to food pantry access, emphasizing the need for policy changes to reduce transportation disadvantage.

Findings

Higher food insecurity scores, smaller household size, single status, and race were linked to using non-car transportation.

Closer bus stops, more bus lines, and no monthly use limits increased odds of using non-car transportation.

Transportation disadvantage is linked to increased vulnerabilities among non-car users, suggesting policy changes could help.

Abstract

Food insecurity is a pervasive public health issue in the United States. While food pantries attempt to alleviate this issue, their effectiveness is limited by structural and logistical barriers that affect service accessibility. Transportation is a frequently underexamined barrier for individuals trying to access food aid. The purpose of this study is to assess the interplay of client- and pantry-level characteristics and their influence on food aid accessibility across several transportation modalities. This cross-sectional survey study collected data from 430 food pantry clients concerning their demographics, transportation methods, and perceptions of transportation barriers. Pantry characteristics were also collected focusing on transportation infrastructure and operational policies. Individual and grouped comparisons were made between transportation methods in relation to pantry visitation, with those walking, biking, and taking a bus to the pantry grouped to compare to those taking a car. Higher food insecurity score, smaller household size, single relationship status, and race were independently associated with increased odds of walking, biking, or taking a bus to the pantry. Having closer bus stops, more bus lines, and no monthly use limits were independently associated with increased odds of walking, biking, or taking a bus to the pantry. Several characteristics were associated with specific transportation modalities when accessing food aid. Our results are particularly concerning given the increased food insecurity and additional vulnerabilities seen in those who walk, bike, or take the bus to the pantry. Transportation disadvantage may be ameliorated by less restrictive pantry use policies and more robust public transit.