Photo Credit: Steven Cukrov

The following is a summary of “Identifying Areas of High Vulnerability for Rural Veteran Food Insecurity,” published in the November 2024 issue of Primary Care by Bradley et al. 

Rural veterans face higher food insecurity than the general U.S. population, yet data on this issue is limited. This project used GIS mapping to pinpoint high-risk areas. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study using GIS mapping to identify areas of high vulnerability for food insecurity among rural veterans.  

They reviewed literature from 2010 to 2021 to identify factors linked to rural veteran food insecurity. They mapped variables like veteran population, community health, rurality, and food deserts using ArcGIS Pro (version 2.8.0). Data was sourced from federal and university databases, creating key layers for analysis. 

The results showed that 3 sites with the highest vulnerability to rural veteran food insecurity were identified. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) locations were narrowed to areas with a veteran population above 8%, proximity to rural food deserts, and low community health rankings. These areas were found to have the greatest need for targeted interventions.  

Investigators demonstrated that GIS mapping effectively identified high-risk regions for rural veteran food insecurity in the US. They planned to use these findings to create targeted interventions at both local and national levels. 

Source: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/21501319241277411