Insegurança alimentar moderada e grave em famílias integradas por pessoas vivendo com HIV/Aids: validação da escala e fatores associados

Amira Rose Costa Medeiros, Rafaela Lira Formiga Cavalcanti de Lima, Leidyanny Barbosa de Medeiros, Flávia Maiele Pedroza Trajano, Amanda Amaiy Pessoa Salerno, Ronei Marcos de Moraes, Rodrigo Pinheiro de Toledo Vianna

Vulnerable population groups, including people living with HIV/Aids (PLHA), may have a high prevalence of food insecurity (FI). A cross-sectional study evaluated the internal validity of the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale (Escala Brasileira de Insegurança Alimentar - EBIA) and measured the prevalence of FI in a sample of 796 PLHA in João Pessoa, Paraíba State (PB). The validation was performed using a Rasch analysis. The association of FI with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics was assessed using the chi-square test. Associated variables were included in a Poisson multiple regression model. The EBIA was valid for PLHA with fit values within the expected limits and item severity conforming to the theoretical model. The EBIA identified 66.5% of PLHA with FI in the sample (30.8% mild FI, 18.1% moderate FI and 17.6% severe FI). Moderate FI and severe FI were associated with an age younger than 43 years (prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.49; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.14-1.86), primary education (PR=1.64; 95% CI: 1.24-2.17), income per capita lower than ½ minimum wage (MW) (PR=1.83; 95% CI: 1.37-2.44), lack of occupation (PR=1.59; 95% CI: 1.16-2.19) and adult-only households with a female reference person (PR=2.19; 95% CI: 1.45-3.31). The PLHA in this study had a high prevalence of FI, worsening their living conditions and potentially exacerbating their health problems.