‘Here the Refrigerator is Empty’: Food Insecurity among Puerto Rican Elders
Vol. 44 No. 3 (2025), Full-Length Articles
Vol. 44 No. 3 (2025)

‘Here the Refrigerator is Empty’: Food Insecurity among Puerto Rican Elders

Full-Length Articles
Published 2025-09-18
Carmen M. Pérez-Velázquez
Assistant Professor, College of Natural Sciences, Nutrition and Dietetics Program, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5348-9597
Sheilla L. Rodríguez-Madera
School of International and Public Affairs, Florida International University, Miami, Florida
Carmen D. Sánchez-Salgado
Office of the Ombudsman for the Elderly, Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
Olga I. Bernardy-Aponte
Graduate School of Social Work, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Edward A. Frongillo
Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
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Keywords

food insecurity
elders
older adults
food access
Puerto Ricans

How to Cite

Pérez-Velázquez, C. M., Rodríguez-Madera, S. L., Sánchez-Salgado, C. D., Bernardy-Aponte, O. I., & Frongillo, E. A. (2025). ‘Here the Refrigerator is Empty’: Food Insecurity among Puerto Rican Elders. Puerto Rico Health Sciences Journal, 44(3), 150–156. Retrieved from https://prhsj.rcm.upr.edu/index.php/prhsj/article/view/3194
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Abstract

Objective: The authors documented, described, and explained the food insecurity experiences of Puerto Rican elders, particularly how they perceive and give meaning to this phenomenon. Methods: The food insecurity experiences of 50 Puerto Rican elders (≥65 years) were collected using a mixed-methods approach. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews, and quantitative data were obtained from a 22-item questionnaire. The data were integrated with a convergent design. Results: 92% of the participants were food insecure. Puerto Rican elders’ food insecurity experiences have four components (quantity, quality, social, and psychological) and a common pattern of fourteen manifestations. Conclusion: Food insecurity in Puerto Rican elders has causes that go beyond the economic access to food. Addressing food insecurity should be a priority of integrated national food and nutrition policies to reduce the nutritional health inequities among this population. This study presents the first in-depth examination of food insecurity among Puerto Rican elders residing in Puerto Rico, focusing on their cultural interpretations of the phenomenon.

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