Friday, August 12th, 2016
The Patrika
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Study finds food insecurity “extremely ElMipk ‘c BfrqI mihlf hfkI tIm dI high” among homeless, mentally ill zRfa nfl sLurUafq
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study by Simon Fraser University’s Somers Research Group suggests there is “an extremely high” prevalence of food insecurity— when access to nutritious, safe and acceptable foods is inadequate—among homeless adults living with mental illness in Vancouver, and may be contributing to further adverse health outcomes. The study was led by health sciences PhD student and sessional instructor Milad Parpouchi and was published in late July in the journal PLOs ONE.
Results of a questionnaire administered to nearly 500 homeless mentally ill adults found food insecurity to be as much as eight times higher than that of the general household population. Associated factors include living with HIV/AIDS and poorer self-reported mental health.
resources in Vancouver, particularly in the Downtown Eastside, the efforts have not translated into improving food security for homeless individuals living with mental illness. Food insecurity may contribute to further health care expenditure, as well as premature mortality. And while charitable organizations have helped to fill some of the food provision gap, Parpouchi argues that it’s not enough.
rIE zI jynyrIE, ElMipk ‘c 36 sfl bfad Kyzx AuqrI BfrqI mihlf hfkI tIm ny aYqvfr nUM do gol nfl ipCVn dy bfad sLfndfr vfpsI krdy hoey jfpfn dy nfl 2-2 nfl zrfa Kyizaf. Bfrq vwloN rfxI rfmpfl aqy llImf imMj ny dUjy hfP ‘c iewk-iewk gol kIqf, jd ik aYmI insLkorI aqy imey nfkfsLImf ny jpfn leI pihly hfP ‘c gol kIqy. BfrqI tIm nUM mukfbly ‘c cfr pYnltI kfrnr imly. Bfrq dI dIvfr golkIpr svIqf ny mukfbly ‘c jrmnI iKzfrIaF dy ierfdy pUry nhIN hox idwqy. svIqf ny pihly hfP ‘c BfvyN hI do gol idwqy pr ies dy bfad dUjy hfP ‘c AunHF ny keI sLfndfr bcfa kIqy. jfpfn ny pihly hfP ‘c hI 2-0 nfl bVq hfsl kr leI sI. insLkorI ny 15vyN imMt ‘c gol krky 1-0 dI bVq bxfeI aqy iPr 28vyN imMt ‘c nfkfsLImf ny gol krky tIm dI bVq nUM dugxf kr idwqf. ies qoN bfad lwgx lwigaf sI ik BfrqI mihlf tIm dI ElMipk ‘c hfr nfl sLurUafq hovygI pr susLIlf cfnU dI agvfeI ‘c BfrqI tIm ny sLfndfr vfpsI kIqI. rfnI rfmpfl ny 31vyN imMt ‘c gol krky skor 1-2 kIqf aqy iPr 40vyN imMt ‘c llImf ny gol krky skor 2-2 nfl brfbr kr idwqf. Bfrq df aglf mukfblf ibRtyn nfl hoxf hY, jo bhuq sKq mukfblf hox dI AumId hY.
“The system of food provision in Vancouver, and Canada as a whole, is not working. Food security is a very fundamental determinant of health and human right. Even though Canada has signed on to various charters and declarations confirming this, the situation here continues to be dire.” Xmrfj (asLok nUM), “qUM pfp qy puMn dovyN suimq, “Eey isMgly, qUM drvfjLy ‘qy ieMnI Parpouchi says more focus is needed to kIqy hn, ies leI qYnUM svrg ivwc nrk kfhlI ‘c pyNt ikAuN lf irhf ey?” imlygf.” ensure that good quality housing with
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appropriate health and social support is isMglf, “kI dwsF, pyNt Gwt hY aqy mYnUM zr asLok, “kI mqlb?” Parpouchi says that while there has available for people who are mentally hY ik ikqy Kqm nf ho jfvy. ies leI kfhlI been significant investment and an ill and at risk for long-term homeless- Xmrfj, “agly jnm ivwc qyrf ivafh qF hovygf, pr purfxI Gr vflI nfl” kr irhf hF.” increase in health, social and food ness.
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