Household food insecurity and associated factors among households in Wolaita Sodo town, 2015

Background: Culturally, food insecurity is expected in rural households. But it is considerable in urban setting due to many factors. Yet this has been hardly recognized in the study area. Therefore, this study intended to assess the level of household food insecurity and associated factors among households in Wolaita Sodo town, Southern Ethiopia, 2015. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Wolaita Sodo town. Overall, 609 households were selected from the town by multistage sampling. Data were collected using pretested and structured tool through interviewing household heads. Household food insecurity access was assessed with Household Food Insecurity Access Scale questions. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 statistical package. All descriptive statistics were performed by univariate analysis. Bivariate analyses were also performed to identify crude predictors of household food insecurity, and finally, multivariable logistic regression was used to develop final model indicating the predictors of outcome variable. Results: Based on the findings of this study, about 37.6% households were food insecure. Of those households, 10.8% were mildly food insecure, 23.2 and 3.6% households were moderately and severely food insecure, respectively. Factors associated with household food insecurity were marital status (single household head) (AOR 4.06 at 95% CI 1.24, 13.27), greater than two dependent members (AOR 3.03 at 95% CI 1.38, 6.63), households headed with daily laborers (AOR 16.0 at 95% CI 4.57, 56.03), higher monthly income (AOR 0.013, at 95% CI 0.004, 0.05) and low monthly food expenditure (AOR 10.56 at 95% CI 2.61, 42.71) in the study area. Conclusions: Household food insecurity was high in the study area compared to urban national level. Being single household head, having more than two dependent members in the household, daily laborers of household head and low monthly food outlay had statistically significant relationship with household food insecurity in negative direction. On the other hand, higher monthly income was significantly associated variable with household food insecurity in affirmative track. So, findings appoint as attention needed on stabilization of food markets, designing urban household food insecurity strategies and creating job opportunities to improve household food security in the setting. © 2017 The Author(s).