UC San Diego

During the COVID-19 pandemic, institutional mistrust impacted vulnerable populations, exacerbating disparities in social services. Many Spanish-speaking Hispanic/Latinos experienced food insecurity during the pandemic due to loss of income and ineligibility for support. Our objective was to determine what structural and demographic factors were associated with food insecurity among Spanish-speaking households and whether mistrust in institutions is associated with food insecurity. A survey was sent to parents of students from 32 schools in San Diego County. The level of mistrust ranged from 11 (trust a great deal) to 44 (not at all). We used a logistic regression model to assess the association between food insecurity and institutional mistrust by language participants chose to complete the survey. Among 1,331 participants, 32% (n=422) completed the survey in Spanish. Overall, 27.6% experienced food insecurity. Spanish-speaking participants experienced more food insecurity than English-speaking participants (41.7% vs. 21.0%, p<0.05). English-speaking participants had significantly higher institutional mistrust scores than Spanish-speaking participants. However, in our logistic regression model, the effect of food insecurity on institutional mistrust was significantly stronger for Spanish-speaking participants compared to English-speaking participants (aOR = 1.09, 95% CI 1.03 - 1.15). This stems from systemic factors such as immigration-related issues, discrimination, and lack of resources in their language, which impacts their ability to utilize services. Food insecurity among Spanish-speaking populations requires a multifaceted and culturally responsive approach that prioritizes building trust, increasing access to resources, and promoting community engagement.