New health access survey shows impacts of food affordability, other intersecting issues
February 22, 2024
The Colorado Health Insitute recently released its 2023 Colorado Health Access Survey. With input from nearly 10,000 Colorado households, the data reveals substantial changes in health, health access, and social stressors stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and the government’s response to it. This includes food insecurity, along with disparities by race, ethnicity, gender, and more.
About 1 in 9 respondents reported experiencing food insecurity (11.2%), which the survey defined as eating less than a person thought they should because they couldn’t afford food. This is higher than before the pandemic as well as compared to 2021 when the rate dropped to about 8.1%, partially due to a temporary increase in food assistance dollars.
Disparities also persist.
People of color were twice as likely as white Coloradans to report not being able to access the food they need to live their fullest lives.
Additionally, those who speak another language than English at home, women, and Coloradans who identify as nonbinary reported higher rates of food insecurity.
Data also shows that residents in farming and ranching communities of Colorado didn’t have enough to eat to fuel their minds and bodies.
Read more about the impacts of food affordability and intersecting issues in the Colorado Health Institute’s survey release.