Changes in food insecurity and sociodemographic conditions of families entitled to the Bolsa Família Program: evidence from a longitudinal study in a municipality in Paraíba, Brazil, 2011-2019

Abstract

The literature shows a positive relationship between access to income transfer programs, such as the Bolsa Família Program, and overcoming situations of food insecurity, and there is a need to further investigate this association. The objective of this work was to analyze the changes in the situation of food insecurity and in the sociodemographic conditions of families with or without the Bolsa Família Program in the years 2011, 2014 and 2019. This is a cohort study where data were obtained through a protocol followed by modules on socio-demographic information, participation in the Bolsa Família program and assessment of Food Insecurity. Data were expressed in simple frequencies, and for the analysis of associations we used the Cochran Test, Friedman Test and Chi-square. The results indicated prevalences of low prevalence of food security in the families entitled to the Program, being 30.1% in 2011, 39.7% in 2014 and 46.6 in 2019, ie a worsening of per capita family income for the entire sample over the years and annoyance that 17.8%, 47.9% and 34.2% of the families entitled to the Program remained safe over time, experienced AI in some period and remained in AI throughout the study period, respectively. The study's findings indicate the importance of the PBF in improving FI rates and alleviating the social impacts arising from an agenda of setbacks in public policies, especially for those groups in greater vulnerability.