A Social Ecological Perspective of the Influential Factors for Food Access Described by Low-Income Seniors

Understanding the factors that affect food access and consumption by seniors will lead to improved comprehension and measurement of food security for this subgroup. Semi-structured interviews with low-income, community-living seniors (n = 18) were tape-recorded and transcribed. Interviews were coded and themes were identified using a constant comparison method of analysis. Applying a social ecological framework, three spheres of influence were described: intrapersonal (e.g., health and budget), interpersonal (e.g., informal assistance and socializing) and environmental (e.g., city transportation and grocery stores). Although preliminary, these results demonstrate the importance of interpersonal and environmental factors on food access and security for seniors. (C) 2006 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.