Food insecurity is linked to a multitude of adverse health outcomes in adults and children. Yet, access to Medicaid has been shown to reduce such adverse health outcomes, and therefore, the ability to access medical care, specifically via Medicaid, is conceivably a driving factor behind the association between food hardship and adverse health. This study has three specific research aims: (1) estimate the effect of Medicaid enrollment on child and household measures of food insecurity; (2) estimate the effects of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on food insecurity; and (3) estimate dual-enrollment effects of Medicaid and SNAP on food insecurity. The study will use secondary, observational data combined with state-level policies and implement a quasi-experimental Instrumental Variable design. The study sample will be representative of U.S. households with children headed by an individual between the ages of 19 and 64. Main outcome measures are household food security status and child food security status.
Start Date: November 2023
ID #: 81354
Principal Investigator: Travis Smith, PhD
Organization: University of Georgia Research Foundation
Funding Round: HER Round 13
Age Group: Adults and Families
Focus Areas: Food Access, Nutrition Policy & Programs
Resource Type: Grant Summary
Keywords: Health Care, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
State: National
Related Research
July 2025
State Earned Income Tax Credit and Food Security: Results Among Economically At-Risk Households With Children
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the state Earned Income Tax Credit on food insecurity among economically at-risk U.S. households with children and explore differential effects across sociodemographic groups. The authors used an intent-to-treat causal inference design and household-level data from all 50 U.S. states available from the Current Population MoreJune 2025
Changes in SNAP Participation and Food Expenditures for Households with Children During the Pandemic
The purposes of this research were to explore the characteristics of households with children that joined SNAP after substantial changes were made to the program in the early stages of the pandemic and to learn how the changes affected food purchases. The research team used household-based scanner data to assess demographic characteristics and food purchase MoreMay 2025