Description

FSHNGRCH indicates whether the children in the household went hungry in the past year because there wasn't enough money to buy more food. Beginning in 2002, the variable also measures how often this occurred. From 1998 onwards, this variable is available only for households that previously indicated food distress among children in the past year.

The questions used to construct FSHNGRCH are 18 items included in the 12-month household food security scale, FSSTATUS and are also used to determine household food security status FSSTATUS. Only households with incomes below 185% of poverty and higher income households that indicate food access problems in response to preliminary screening questions are included in the Food Sufficiency and Food Security section of the supplement. FSHNGRCH is subject to a second internal screener.

Comparability

From 1995-2001, no information is available on how often in the past year the children in the household went hungry. Beginning in 2002, households that reported any instances of child hunger were asked a follow-up question on how this occurred. The responses to both questions are combined into this variable, and respondents in earlier years who report instances of child hunger are coded as having the event occur "at least once".

The universe is generally consistent since 1998. From 1998 onwards, only households that in the past year relied on low-cost food to feed their children (FSLWCFDC), could not afford to feed their children a balanced meal (FSBALCH), or in which the children did not eat enough (FSENGHCH) continue on to answer FSHNGRCH.

Prior to 1998, both the internal screeners and the screening procedures used to determine which households were screened into the food security assessment varied. Researchers need account for this when including data prior to 1998.

Universe

Flags

Unharmonized Variables