Author: Michelle Watson
Watson, Michelle, 2024 The lived experience of food insecurity in Adelaide, South Australia: Stories of adversity, oppression, and the orthodox and unorthodox food acquisition strategies used to cope, Flinders University, College of Nursing and Health Sciences
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This study investigated the set of circumstances that tipped individuals into food insecurity and aimed to understand their experiences of utilising orthodox and unorthodox food acquisition practices. Guided by constructivist grounded theory, this research focused on two populations to address the research aims, questions and objectives. Sample 1 comprised of 15 participants who were food insecure and accessing emergency food relief agencies in metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia. Sample 2 involved seven staff and volunteers working within these agencies. Sample 1 data collection utilised the 6-item US Household Food Security Survey Module alongside a demographic survey. One-on-one interviews were conducted to gain deeper insights into the personal narratives and experiences of food insecure adults who access emergency food relief agencies and to understand their use of orthodox and unorthodox food acquisition strategies. Sample 2 data collection comprised one-on-one interviews with emergency food relief agency staff and volunteers to understand their perspectives on the provision of emergency food relief and their response to food insecure adults utilising other coping strategies.
The results revealed complex intersectionality surrounding food insecurity and poverty, and the adverse childhood and adulthood life events that led to the utilisation of orthodox and unorthodox food acquisition practices. Three main themes were identified. The first theme, Life’s not gone according to plan – stories of adversity, documented the adverse childhood and adulthood events that led to food insecurity. The second theme, Down the well without a ladder – stories of oppression and a brief glimmer of hope, uncovered systemic factors contributing to oppression and how food insecure adults are trapped in this endless cycle, unable to change their circumstances. A subtheme, A brief glimmer of hope, documented the COVID-19 financial assistance provided by the Australian Government. The third theme, Self-managing the situation, explored the orthodox and unorthodox food acquisition strategies utilised by food insecure adults to mitigate the effects of food insecurity and poverty. This theme also documented the perspectives of emergency food relief agency staff and volunteers on the use of these strategies and their engagement with food insecure clients. The results shed light on the intersectionality and challenges that food insecure adults face. By examining their experiences, this study provides an understanding of the various life events leading to food insecurity and poverty, and the coping mechanisms utilised by those affected. A comparison with the literature aligns this with the research questions. The implications of the findings are presented, highlighting recommendations for service delivery, policy development and further research.
The insights derived from both the perspectives of the food insecure adults and the emergency food relief agency staff and volunteers provides a unique and original contribution to knowledge. Ultimately, this study contributes valuable knowledge to the ongoing discourse on food insecurity, offering a holistic perspective that encompasses the lived experiences of those directly affected and the perspectives of those working in the emergency food relief sector.
Keywords: food insecurity, poverty, lived experience, oppression, adversity, life events
Subject: Health Sciences thesis
Thesis type: Doctor of Philosophy
Completed: 2024
School: College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Supervisor: Professor John Coveney